Sara seeks early release of honorariums for poll workers

FILE PHOTO: Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte. INQUIRER/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Thursday appealed for an early distribution of the honorariums of public school teachers who serve as poll workers as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has requested for higher compensation for educators who serve during the election.

In her speech on the second day of the National Election Summit, Duterte noted that some teachers had complained to her about the delayed release of their compensation after working in the electoral board.

“We, in the [Department of Education], are hoping that maybe the teachers can get their honoraria before the elections. Of course, they commute, eat and cover other costs in the days [leading up to the elections],” Duterte said.

“Maybe the payments can be advanced, or it can be a consideration … for future elections,” she added.

Comelec Chair George Garcia said the poll body wants the same for teachers. But he pointed out that releasing the honoraria in advance might be flagged by state auditors.

“It is possible, we can do that. As to whether the COA (Commission on Audit) nullifies it, or what we call notice of disallowance, that is a different ball game altogether,” Garcia told a press conference after the event. He cited an instance in earlier elections when the Comelec advanced half of the payment for teachers, but had to take them back from those who did not report to work during Election Day.

READ: No extra honoraria for teachers in 2023 barangay, SK polls

P8,000 to P10,000 range

The poll body has asked Congress for a hike in the honoraria of electoral board members who will serve in the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October. It proposed that teachers be given the same rates for automated elections to a range of P8,000 to P10,000, depending on their position in the electoral board, from a range of just P4,000 to P6,000.

If the planned constitutional convention pushes through this year to amend or revise the 1987 Constitution, teachers will get an additional P2,000, as proposed by the Comelec.

READ: Marcos vetoes bill allowing tax breaks for poll workers

Meanwhile, Duterte also called for the improvement of the electoral process through more advanced technologies, like facial recognition, that would flag flying voters; as well as a new voting system that would replace manual shading of votes.

The absence of a national election database, she noted, has enabled some people to vote multiple times in multiple locations on Election Day.