Teachers’ relief from poll duties sought

ATING GURO Partylist and The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) vowed to continue their fight for voluntary election duties thru the amendments of the existing election laws in the country. The groups launched a signature campaign asking the legislators and President Noynoy Aquino to act favorably on the BEI Reform Bill (HB 3514) authored by Camarines Sur representative Leny Robredo.

“This proposal should be treated as an urgent bill, this has been a long-standing demand of public school teachers nationwide. We are often subjected to harassment, humiliation, and hardship, and even violence during the election period.” Said Arsenio Jallorina, chairman of Ating Guro Partylist and a former principal of a public school in Manila.

Jallorina said the bill, if enacted into law would ensure “the protection of the rights and privileges of those appointed to the BEI and will improve the integrity of elections.”

The bill also seeks to institutionalize a package of benefits and privileges for BEI members that includes an honorarium of at least P6000, travel allowance of at least P1000, compulsory insurance coverage, hospitalization up to recovery and a minimum of P200,000 death benefit, legal assistance and indemnification, voting privilege in the precinct where he/she is assigned on election day; and options for public school teachers to serve BEI members.

“This bill addresses all our election-related concerns, thus we are happy that a number of lawmakers are in support of this measure. However, we would also seek the nod of Malacanang.” Basas added.

Basas who served as a member of BEI for seven times said that their group considers election duty as a legalized form of exploitation, “We cannot refuse the assignment to sit as election workers, even if this task may expose us to harm. We cannot negotiate with the Comelec on the amount they want us to be paid and we can never demand for a lawyer to defend us when we are in trouble. The mandated poll duty of public school teachers is a legal excuse to perpetuate exploitation.”

Relief of teachers from mandatory poll duties is one of the 10-point legislative agenda of ATING GURO partylist when it joined the elections last year with Basas as the first nominee, the case for their proclamation is now pending before the Supreme Court. #
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For details:
Arsenio Jallorina, 09984755658
Benjo Basas, 09205740241

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