Higher pay for teacher-volunteers in polls to be in Comelec’s proposed 2022 budget — DepEd

POLL DUTY Teachers prepare materials at Corazon Aquino Elementary School on Batasan Road, Quezon City. —FILE PHOTO BY GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) gave assurance to include in its proposed 2022 budget the Department of Education’s (DepEd) request to increase pay of teachers who would perform election duties in the upcoming national polls, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said Tuesday.

In a televised briefing, Briones said Comelec was “sympathetic” to increase compensation of teachers in the forefront of the elections “in a very significant way.”

“Sinasabi namin kung puwede lang sana, there has to be provision sana of overtime [pay], [allowance for] transport, food and of course, security and protection which [are] also risks teachers are exposed to in certain areas,” Briones said.

(We asked them if possible that there was a provision of overtime pay, allowance for transport, food and of course, security and protection which are also risks teachers are exposed to in certain areas.)

“Napakapositive ang response ng Comelec. Ang assurance nila, sa kanilang budget for 2022 talagang i-propose nila yung aming mga requests,” she added.

(Comelec gave a positive response. They gave an assurance that they will propose our requests under their budget for 2022.)

The DepEd earlier proposed a P3,000-increase in pay for teachers who serve as poll watchers, bringing their compensation to P9,000 for electoral board chairpersons, P8,000 for members, P7,000 for supervisor officials and P5,000 for support staff.

The agency also requested a P500 COVID-19 hazard pay per day, P1,000 food allowance and P2,000 transportation allowance.

Comelec has since expressed willingness to work with DepEd to accommodate their requests.

JE