Teachers anticipate better compensation, security for poll workers

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said they anticipate better compensation package, insurance and protection for teachers who will opt to serve the Barangay and SK Elections on May 14, 2018. The group lauded the passage of the Election Services Reform Act (RA 10756) that they believe “will reduce, if not totally put an end to harassment, intimidation, violent attacks and post-election cases suffered by the teachers in the past elections.”

According to Benjo Basas the group’s chairperson, “because of this law, teachers will not be compelled to serve the elections if they perceive that they are not safe, secured o well compensated or simply they just do not want the task. They can now have the option to serve or not.”

Optional election duty was one of the main advocacy calls of the TDC when it was formed in April 8, 2006. The group, along with other organizations and NGOs notably the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) has initiated a national advocacy campaign coupled with academic researches, petitions, forum-consultations and legislative lobbying for the bill which finally approved by the Congress on April 8, 2016, coincidentally the celebration of TDC’s 10th anniversary. Thus, Basas said that “it was like an anniversary gift to us.”

“We are confident that the law’s first test for implementation will favor the teachers who will sit in the electoral board (EB) for the upcoming Barangay and SK elections.” Basas ended. #

Under the COMELEC Resolution 10211, the benefits for those who will opt to serve include the following:

a. P6, 000.00 honorarium for EB chair;

b. P5, 000.00 for EB members;

c. P4, 000.00 for Department of Education Supervisor Official (DESO);

d. P2, 000.00 for support staff;

e. P1, 000.00 transportation allowance for all of them;

f. Minimum of 5 days service credit for government employees serving in the polls;

g. P500, 000.00 death benefits;

h. P200, 000.00 medical assistance for injuries/illness; and

i. P50, 000.00 legal indemnification package

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Reference: Benjo Basas, National Chairperson, 0927-3356375/ 0999-9744612

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