Regular stipends for priests seen soon

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines—The Archdiocese of Palo in Leyte may give monthly stipends to its priests should a proposal to do so push through.

Fr. Amadeo Alvero, spokesperson of the archdiocese, said the standard living allowance scheme is still being studied by a committee headed by Fr. Stephen Pesado, parish priest of St. Raphael Parish in Sagkahan, Tacloban City, and priests from the archdiocese’s chancery office, which is based in Palo, Leyte.

But Alvero said that the plan is most likely to be approved and implemented next year.

Under the plan, priests of the archdiocese would receive a monthly allowance of about P10,000, according to Alvero.

“This is good because all of us priests will receive the same amount of allowance every month,” Alvero said. “We can now expect a monthly decent monthly allowance,” he said.

Current allowances for priests vary, depending on their parishes, he said.

Priests at the Sto. Niño parish, where Alvero is assigned, receives an allowance of P300 per Mass, which is higher compared to the allowances of priest from other parishes which is only P150 per Mass, Alvero said. A priest holds Mass once a day.

Alvero said the proposed allowance for priests would come from monthly remittances from parishes to the archdiocese.