Comelec agrees to hike pay for teachers in 2022 polls — DepEd
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education on Thursday said the Commission on Elections has approved a proposed increase in teachers' pay when they serve in next year's national and local polls.
Educators have long served as workers during elections in the country, often facing poll-related violence. In 2022, it is possible they will brave another threat that is the COVID-19 pandemic.
DepEd said Comelec chairperson Sheriff Abas supported the agency's proposal in February for a P3,000-increase in the honoraria of teachers.
It would hike the pay of the following to P9,000 for electoral board heads, P8,000 for members, P7,000 for supervisor officials, and P5,000 for support staff.
“We want to express our gratitude to the Comelec for approving our request for higher compensation for our teachers that will render their services in the next year’s election," said DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones. "Given the current health situation, it is rightful for them to receive additional allowance."
The poll body's support means it would include the increase in its proposed budget for 2022. This, however, would still have to be approved by Congress, who passes the government's annual spending plan.
Comelec also agreed to other proposals, such as on a provision for teachers' transportation, food and allowance, and repair or maintenance expenses of schools that would be used as voting precincts.
Further, DepEd said the commission will include teachers' health insurance coverage too in its proposed funding next year. Other benefits, however, such as on-site swab tests and double shifts, to name a few, remain pending before the two agencies.
Abas in May floated the possibility of extending voting to as far as 12 hours as part of adjustments due to the health crisis. DepEd then said it would consider two shifts for teachers, as it admitted that rendering the said hours in a single shift would be tiring.
The education department added that it suggested the creation of monitoring and coordination teams with Comelec to "ensure that teachers will be technically and legally equipped" in the next elections.
Comelec set the filing of candidacies to October this year. Election Day is set on May 9, 2022, where Filipinos will make the crucial decision of who will lead the country to a hopeful recovery from the pandemic.
Get the latest updates on the Philippines' preparation for the May 2022 national elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Main image by The STAR/Michael Varcas
Local executives are optimistic of peaceful elections on Monday in North Cotabato and Basilan provinces.
North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza says Saturday she is thankful to the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade of the 6th Infantry Division and units of the Eastern Mindanao Command in the province for supporting extensively the efforts of the Commission on Elections to ensure the safety of polling activities on Monday.
“We are also thankful to the Cotabato Provincial Police Office and the Police Regional Office-12 for their initiatives towards that goal. We are looking forward to a peaceful electoral exercise in our province on Monday,” Mendoza says. — The STAR/John Unson
Comelec names Director John Rex Laudiangco as the new spokesperson of the commission, replacing James Jimenez.
May 9, election day, has been declared a special non-working holiday.
In a proclamation released Thursday, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the holiday "to enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote, subject to the public health measures of the national government." — report from Alexis Romero
READ: Proclamation No. 1357 declaring May 9, election day, a special non-working holiday @PhilippineStar @Philstarnews pic.twitter.com/EvUUNb8Yuf
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) May 5, 2022
The Bangsamoro police has mobilized 6,347 personnel to guard 1,195 polling sites in five provinces under its jurisdiction.
Brig. Gen. Arthur Cabalona, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, says Thursday the contingent includes 706 Reaction Standby Support Force and 405 Quick Reactionary Force personnel for deployment to Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur provinces.
Tension has markedly been high in some towns in both provinces owing to the deep-seated political animosity among local clans.
Besides Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also covers the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Lamitan, Marawi and Cotabato. — John Unson
The Commission on Election starts the distribution and conduct of the testing and sealing of the vote counting machines (VCMs) six days prior to the election day in the remote and far flung villages in Zamboanga City.
The early distribution of the VCMs was made with the authority of the Comelec central office following the recommendation of the local poll body here, says District 2 officer Atty. Stephen Roy Cañete.
“We asked permission and we were given the authority by the Comelec central office to start the distribution of the VMCs early. In case there will be glitches we still have enough time to replace the defective VCM,” Cañete says. — The STAR/Roel Pareño
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