All set for brgy polls, but short on funds

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The Comelec office of this city is all set for the Oct. 28 barangay elections, but not on its finances, according to election officer Gildu Agoncillo.

Agoncillo told The Freeman he was worried the City Comelec will not be able to meet the requirements for the transportation allowances and additional honoraria of public school teachers who will man the barangay polls.

Each of the 30 barangays is willing to allocate P10,000, which is the minimum requirement to finance the electoral exercise, but then the amount may not be enough for bigger barangays that must have more teachers and supervisors to be deployed.

He said the amount will serve as an augmentation fund to pay for the transportation allowance of P500 for each teacher who will serve in the barangay elections and to cover for their additional honoraria, including the trainings to be conducted before the conduct of the polls.

Agoncillo said that for transportation allowance alone, the P10,000 for each barangay is not enough. For the biggest barangay of Taclobo alone, it is expected to spend P29,000 as transportation allowance, he said.

With 212 clustered precincts to be manned by a set of three teachers plus supervisors, each of the about 700 of them will need P500 for transport allowance and additional honoraria.

Agoncillo, however, was confident this matter will be addressed by the city government after yesterday's meeting among the 30 village chiefs of the city.

The city has appropriated P300,000 for the Comelec office the defray the expenses of people manning the office, and their food and fuel, among others. (FREEMAN)