Teachers who worked overtime on election day to receive extra honoraria, Comelec assures

Teachers turn a storm-damaged office at Paniog Elementary School in Basilisa, Dinagat Islands, into a polling precinct during the May 9 elections. (ERWIN M. MASCARIÑAS / INQUIRER)

MANILA, Philippines — Teachers who worked overtime on election day this year shall receive an “additional honoraria”, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) assured Thursday.

While there is no data yet on how much the additional honoraria will be, Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said that a similar honoraria was distributed in 2019.

“Sa ating mga bayaning guro at mga electoral boards, huwag kayong mag-alala. Hindi po ito first time na nagbigay ang Comelec ng additional honoraria, it’s not necessarily overtime pay,” Laudiangco said in a press briefing.

(To our heroic teachers and electoral boards, do not worry. This is not the first time that the Comelec will provide an additional honoraria, it’s not necessarily an overtime pay.)

“Ginawa na po natin ito noong 2019 para doon sa mga electoral boards na talagang nagsilbi ng higit sa oras para matapos. Sa atin pong electoral boards wag po kayo mag-alala, ipo-proseso po ito ng Comelec gaya din noong ginawa natin noong 2019,” he added.

(We did this in 2019 for the electoral boards that served beyond their supposed hours. To our electoral boards, do not worry, the Comelec will process this just like what it did in 2019.)

Laudiangco said that under the law, the honoraria within 15 days from the day of the elections. 

“Sisiguraduhin ng Comelec na mabibigay ito sa kanila within the timeframe allowed by law. Absolute po yan. Wala pong excuses at gagawin po namin ‘yan,” Laudiangco said.

(The Comelec will ensure that this will be given to them within the timeframe allowed by law. That’s absolute. There are no excuses and we will give them that.)

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