Comelec urged to give teachers in poll duties ample pay as it eyes extending election hours

FILE PHOTO: Teachers prepare the election paraphernalia they received from the Cebu City treasurer’s office and the classroom to be used as a voting precinct for the 2019 midterm elections. —JUNJIE MENDOZA

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Election (Comelec) was urged Monday to give adequate compensation and overtime pay to teachers who would perform election duties especially since the poll body is considering extending election hours for the 2022 national vote.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers Secretary-General Raymond Basilio said they wrote Comelec to convey their proposal on the recomputation of honoraria that includes the number of hours that will be rendered by and overtime pay of teachers who would work during the election.

“Nagbigay kami ng sulat sa Comelec, at kabahagi ng sulat na ‘yan ay ang aming proposal na recomputation ng honoraria na ibibigay sa ating mga poll workers, and that includes the number of hours to be rendered by all poll workers during election,” Basilio told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.

(We submitted a letter to Comelec, and part of that letter is our proposal on the recomputation of honoraria that should be given to our poll workers, and that includes the number of hours to be rendered by all poll workers during the election.)

READ: Comelec eyes extension of voting hours, less voters per precinct

In their letter dated May 10, Basilio said they enumerated several compensations for election workers, who are mostly public teachers, that include the adjustment of election service honorarium and allowances: P10,000 for the chair of the Board of Election Canvassers, P9,000 for its members, P8,000 for Department of Education Supervisor Officials, and P7,000 for the staff.

The group likewise asked the Comelec to grant poll workers P2,500 food allowance, as well as P3,000 to P5,000 transportation allowance.

Basilio said they anticipate a dialogue with Comelec to further discuss their proposal to advance the welfare of poll workers.

“Our public-school teachers are already bearing the heavy responsibility of ensuring education continuity amid the pandemic, and with the additional responsibility of guarding the presidential elections, their lives are even more at risk,” he pointed out.

– John Eric Mendoza

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