DILG to poll duty teachers: Avail legal, medical assistance

MANILA, Philippines — Teachers who are serving as Electoral Board members in the May midterm elections should avail legal and medical assistance as per the Election Service Reform Act, the Department of the Interior and Local Government reminded on Saturday.

“In addition to honoraria, travel allowances, and service credit, all teachers and individuals serving in the Electoral Boards are also now entitled to Medical Assistance of up to P200,000 and legal protection and assistance,” DILG Spokesperson Usec. Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

Malaya said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) implemented a Special Trust Fund that covered the cost of “legal assistance, medical aid and legal idemnification” for those who rendered election-related service.

The DILG spokesperson added that the legal and medical aid promotes the rights of teachers who serve during the election day.

Comelec’s Legal Idemnification Package worth P50,000 is offered to all teachers and other individuals serving during the elections, Malaya said.

Malaya added that the legal aid also protects teachers from candidates who could harass them.

“Teachers are doing election duty over and above the call of duty, so we are pleased that they now have legal protection from unscrupulous candidates or politicians who want to harass them,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malaya also lauded Comelec’s decision to exempt teachers’ allowance and honoraria from income tax if their annual income does not exceed the P250,000 threshold.

“This is good news to all our Electoral Boards. We congratulate COMELEC for coming up with this win-win solution for all of them. Election service is now voluntary to teachers so those serving can make a personal choice and they cannot be coerced to do so by the Commission,” he said. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)

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