DepEd: 2016 barangay, SK elections 'orderly, peaceful'

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education on Monday afternoon said the 2018 Barangay and Sanggunian Kabataan elections were "orderly and generally peaceful."

In a tweet report by The STAR, Education Undersecretary Alain Del Pascua said that the department had not "received any incident of threat or harrassment" against teachers who served as election oficers in the 2018 polls.

The Philippine National Police, for its part, said that it monitored at least 42 violent incidents from April 14 to May 14, election day.

The DepEd said that its monitoring and election task force will remain active until noon of Tuesday, May 15.

Most cash cards delivered to teachers

Meanwhile, Pascua said that 87 percent of cash cards had been delivered to teachers across the country before noon of election day. Additional cash cards were distributed to teachers serving in precincts in La Union, Siquijor, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Island and Zamboanga del Norte on Monday afternoon.

Pascua, however, said that the department is having logistical problems in delivering cash cards to some areas. The DepEd executive vowed that the honoraria and travel allowances for all teachers would be released "within 15 days after polls." 

In the 2016 national elections, a number of teachers complained of being unable to withdraw their honoraria.

RELATED: BEIs complain of ‘unfunded’ cash cards

Earlier, the Commission on Elections said that more than 500,000 teachers were tapped as members of the Board of Elections Tellers in the 117,575 clustered precincts across the country.

The honoraria to be given to the teachers are as follows: P6,000 for those who will serve chairs of electoral boards; P5,000 for members of electoral boards; P4,000 for DepEd supervisor officials; and P2,000 for support staff.

An additional P1,000 for travel allowance will also be given to those who render election services.

They will also be given a minimum of five days service credit, legal indemnification package worth P50,000, medical assistance of up to P200,000 and election-related death benefit amounting to P500,000.

READ: Comelec all set for polls — Kristine Joy Patag with report from Janvic Mateo