The Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) office in Quezon City will serve as the command post to monitor all election-related concerns of public school teachers beginning Sunday evening, October 24 until Tuesday evening, October 26.
The group dedicated two telephone numbers and several mobile numbers as hotlines including Facebook account where teachers and voters can report any untoward incidents like harassment, cheating, intimidation, emergency situation or any election-related concerns of public school teachers and the general public.
Vigilance and proper coordination with the authorities and the media would help deter possible cases of fraud and violence this election. This is our own way of protecting teachers who are assigned to facilitate the precinct-level elections as members of Board of Election Tellers (BET) on Monday.
The group also seek the help of election watchdog LENTE or Legal Network for Truthful Elections to provide them legal assistance and protection beyond election day. LENTE will be fielding two lawyers in TDC's command post to assist the teachers in legal-technical concerns.
"It's high time that the rights of our teachers, who are the frontliners during elections, are protected." Said lawyer April Rose S. Mabane, LENTE's program director.
Mabanes agreed that teachers serving as election inspectors and tellers are the most prone to be harassed and accused of fraud.
The irony is, the teachers are mandated by law to be Comelec election inspectors, and yet, when cases are filed, it is the Comelec's duty to prosecute the teachers.
The Command post will closely coordinate with government and private agencies specifically the DepEd, Comelec, PNP, election watchdogs and the media
Teachers who will not sit as Board of Election Tellers (BET) on Monday will man the Command Post and tasked to monitor and document the field situation and provide any possible assistance from the organization and concerned agencies.
Concerned parties may call TDC hotlines (02) 3853437 and (02) 4543571 or LENTE at (02) 4032249 and (02) 8997691 loc. 2315. They may also post reports at TDC's Facebook account and email address teachersdignity@yahoo.com.
Benjo Basas Chairperson Teachers' Dignity Coalition