Teachers to Comelec: Where is poll pay?

EDITORIAL

What is taking the Commission on Elections to pay delayed compensation of teachers who served as board of election inspectors (BEIs) and support staff last elections?

The Comelec is mum about this even as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Philippines (ACT-Philippines) picketed the Comelec main office denouncing the commission’s failure to act on the matter.

“It had been three weeks since the election and as of last week, we have been receiving reports from our teachers from different parts of the country that they did not yet receive the amount of P4,000 election service compensation that should be given right after election day,”ACT chairperson Benjamin Valbuena said in a press statement.

According to ACT-Philippines, some Teachers/BEIs and support staff from Cebu City, Aklan, Davao City, Noveleta Cavite, Libon, Albay, Abukay, Bataan, Mandaluyong, Pangasinan 1, Saranggani, Santiago City, Pililla, Rizal, Guagua, Pampanga, Camarines Sur, Talisay, Batangas, San Fernando, Pampanga, Pagadian City, Pasay City, Ilocos Sur, Mataas na kahoy, Batangas, Zamboanga City, Bacolod City, Toledo City, Lipa City, Batangas, Catanauan, Quezon, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, Kananga, Leyte, Iligan City and Bantayan Island, Puerto Princesa have yet to receive compensation.

“We are calling on the Comelec through its commissioners to act upon these concerns. We don’t deserve this kind of treatment and election service is far beyond our duty as educators,” Valbuena added.

The group said this year’s election service compensation was a far cry from what they were expecting. They demanded P6,000 compensation but the Dept. of Budget and Management reportedly didn’t grant it.

Despite Comelec’s pronouncements of lesser work due to automated elections, teachers said it was harder to serve because about five precincts were clustered into one which comprised a thousand voters. Aside from that, many PCOS machines reportedly didn’t function well and CF Cards were corrupted.

“We don’t want this to happen again in the next election, we want sweeping action on this. This is so unfair to those who rendered valuable service to the people and to our country,” Valbuena said.