Public school teachers no longer required to do poll duties

PUBLIC school teachers will no longer be required to take on poll duties in next year’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections and in succeeding electoral exercises.

The Commission on Elections said it will begin implementing Republic Act 10756 or the Election Service Reform Act, which makes election duties non-compulsory for public school teachers.

Comelec chairperson Andres Bautista said the poll body is ready to enforce the implementing rules and regulations of the reform law.

But because of the postponement of the October 31 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls to next year, the ESRA will take effect in 2017.

“Because of the postponement, we will ensure that the law will be implemented starting next election,” Bautista said in a statement.

It may be recalled that the House of Representatives and the Senate passed on final readings the bills postponing the barangay and youth elections early this week.

The ESRA, which was signed into law on April 8 this year, makes poll duties as non-compulsory for public school teachers.

It can be recalled that the Comelec did not implement the new law in the May 9 national and local elections.

Poll duties include serving as members of the board of election inspectors and board of election tellers – tasks which used to be performed by public school teachers.

The ESRA allows the Comelec to tap private school teachers, national government employees excluding military officers, members of Comelec-accredited citizens’ arms, and any voter with integrity and competence, and without political affiliations to serve in elections.

The reform law also provides a higher compensation package for election workers.