MANILA, Philippines--Public school teachers have it hard enough, and they now want the option to refuse election duties where they usually face physical and mental stress, harassment and violence from bitter candidates, according to a national teachers? group.

With elections only six months away, the 25,000-strong Teachers Dignity Coalition Saturday urged lawmakers to amend the Omnibus Election Code to make rendering poll duties voluntary for teachers.

A bill pushing for the amendment was earlier filed in the Senate, but Congress only has a few weeks left to tackle the budget and other priority bills before adjourning for the election campaign period.

Under the Omnibus Election Code, teachers are supposed to head the Board of Election Inspectors, Board of Election Tellers and Barangay Board of Canvassers. These bodies are in charge of counting the votes and ensuring that the polls are free, orderly and honest.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Sulo forum, TDC national chair Benjo Basas Saturday said the group wanted to make the teachers? participation in election duties voluntary so that they would have leverage to ask for more security and commensurate pay.

Basas said teachers need more pay because they tend to be on duty for long hours during elections, and actually begin working even before their official shift starts.

Protection is also vital because they usually become the targets of losing candidates and their supporters. Sometimes, the Comelec blames the teachers for kinks in the process, he added.

In 2007, a teacher and a poll watcher were killed when armed men set ablaze a public school being used as a voting center.

Basas believes that even if poll duty were made voluntary, teachers would sign up for it as long as they are guaranteed protection and proper pay.

?If we can haggle for higher compensation and they can assure us that teachers would be safe and would be protected, we think no teacher would refuse to serve in the elections. I myself would not refuse,? he said. Leila B. Salaverria