DepEd welcomes measure letting teachers ‘just say no’ to poll service

THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) welcomed on Saturday President Benigno Aquino III’s signing of a measure that would no longer require public school teachers to serve as polling officers in elections.

In an interview over dzBB radio, Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali said that what was “good” about the  Election Service Reform Act that Mr. Aquino signed into law on Friday was that teachers “no longer have to explain [why they cannot serve]” as members of the Board of Election Inspectors on Election Day.

He said the measure  was supported by Education Secretary Armin Luistro.

“Before, they [had] to justify why they could not serve. Now [under the law], if they do not want to, if they are scared, teachers can say no,” Umali said.

He was quick to add, however, that teachers were “very willing to serve.”

He said the only instances they took up the offer was when they thought they might find themselves in a “dangerous situation.”

But, Umali said, “we shouldn’t be scared, what with the  automated elections we are implementing now. The difficulties teachers face today are far from what teachers experienced in elections prior to 2010.