Teachers’ Group Seeks Higher Pay For Poll Duties In 2013

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) is seeking higher honorarium for their poll-related duties from the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In an interview, ACT Secretary General France Castro said they are looking for higher payments since the work load of teachers serving as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) has more than doubled due to the use of the automated election system (AES).

Castro said that in the May 2010 elections, the Comelec clustered three to five precincts for each precinct count optical scan (PCOS) used in the elections.

Before the automated polls, each precinct was manned by three teachers.

Three teachers perform the work of nine when three poll precincts are clustered into one, Castro said. It is only right for Comelec to increase the honorarium for teachers performing election duties, she said.

“Walang upuan yan ha. Kasi 1,000 voters e. Kaya sana dapat taasan naman nila ang bayad sa mga magvo-volunteer sa elections,” she said.

Aside from higher honorarium, ACT is also pushing for the passage of the law that will remove the mandatory service of teachers as BEIs during elections.

She said they are hoping that House Bill No. 4096 filed by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio would be passed before the May 2013 polls.

In the May 2010 polls, all 240,000 teachers who had served as BEIs were paid P3,000 for their three-day election services.

By LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO

mb.com.ph

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