TDC welcomes house approval of insurance for teachers in poll duties

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) welcomes the House approval of HB 6528, authored by Rep. Juliet Cortuna of A Teacher Party List. The bill provides an insurance package for election personnel including public school teachers tasked to perform election duties during national and local elections as chairmen and members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI).

TDC Chairperson Benjo Basas, a teacher of Caloocan City who regularly attends to election tasks since his entry in public school in 2002 said that they are grateful that the Congress finally decides on the matter which for him “is long been overdue.” The TDC, he said is continuously lobbying both in Congress and in Comelec for the amendment of omnibus election code to effect the optional poll duties of teachers. He continued, “However, despite the lobby effort of the DepEd secretary himself, Comelec and even some lawmakers are reluctant to discuss the bill because according to them, teachers are the most fit for the job, given their integrity, credibility and familiarity to the community.”

Basas also said that since teachers have no right to refuse the appointment, they want to at least ensure that they will be protected from all forms of danger- harassment, physical attack, health risk and accusation of cheating.

Early last month, the group sat in a dialogue with Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes, Jr. to discuss the demands of the teachers for 2013 elections.

“The honorable chair assured us that they will provide insurance to cover all the teachers who will sit as members and chairmen of the BEI in next year’s polls.” Basas said. “Another thing that the COMELEC will set aside is the fund for legal defense of teachers who will be charged of cheating or any election offense by losing candidates especially is there is an obvious indication that those are only meant to harass teachers.” Basas continued.

In September 14, the TDC submitted the list of their demands that includes insurance, 24-hour presence of law enforcement units and deployment of medical team in the vicinity of polling places, 100 percent increase in per diem, reduction of number of voters’ per clustered precincts and optional duties or provision of hazard pay in places declared as areas of immediate concerns or election hot spots.

“The Chairman actually responded positively and we hope that matters that are not beyond Comelec control would materialize.” Basas ended.

For details:
Benjo Basas, Chairperson 0920-5740241/ (02)385-3437

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos etc.