(Photo credit: PNA file photo)
(Photo credit: Inday Sara Duterte FB Page)
QUEZON CITY (PIA) — Teachers who will perform duties in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will get increased honoraria on time, and avail of free legal assistance based on a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on Monday.
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman George Erwin Garcia, Public Attorney’s Office Head Atty. Persida Acosta, and Department of Education Secretary and concurrent Vice President Sara Duterte led the signing of the MOA at the Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila.
The MOA is geared towards the protection and welfare of teachers who will serve as members of the electoral board in the BSKE 2023.
Based on the agreement, teachers who will serve as electoral chairperson and board member will receive Php 10,000 and Php 9,000 respectively, from the previous Php 6,000 and Php 5,000.
Apart from the honoraria, the COMELEC has allocated Php 500,000 worth of death benefits, and Php 200,000 cash assistance in cases of accidents, injuries for each teacher.
“Mayroon kaming in-allocate na PHP35 million para sa trust fund natin para anytime pwedeng magamit para sa kapakanan ng ating mga guro,” COMELEC chief said.
For precincts with early voting hours, there will be an additional Php 2,000 compensation throughout the board.
“Doon sa mga areas na may early voting hours, binigyan namin ng dagdag na PHP2,000 across the board ‘yung lahat na maglilingkod na mga guro,” he said.
For PAO’s part, teachers who will face election offenses and administrative charges can avail of their free legal assistance, including counsel with no appearance fees.
“The teachers are so vulnerable that’s why legal assistance is the best defense against these kinds of attacks,” Garcia said.
In her statement, PAO Chief Persida Acosta said that the measure is an exceptional instrument towards a peaceful election.
“Ito na nga muli ang pag-asa ng ating mga mahal na guro, pag-asa ng ating mga kababayan para maging mapayapa ang darating na eleksyon,” she said.
In a message, Vice President Duterte sighted the threatening incidents teachers face during elections.
“Nagsisilbi ang mga guro sa eleksyon sa kabila ng mga panganib na hinaharap nila. Wala akong natatandaan na eleksyon na walang insidente ng pananakot, pananakit, pang-aatake sa mga guro at sa kanilang mga pamilya,” Duterte said.
She then underscored the importance of teachers and vowed to protect and support them in the upcoming BSKE.
“Hindi po mangyayari ang isang eleksyon kung walang mga guro. Bilang Secretary of Education, nais kong masiguro na mabibigyan ng angkop na proteksyon at suporta ang ating mga guro na nagsasakripisyo para maisagawa ng matagumpay ang halalan sa ating bansa,” she added. (PIA-NCR)
