Over 500,000 teachers to serve as poll workers on May 13 – DepEd

Sofia Tomacruz

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Over 500,000 teachers to serve as poll workers on May 13 – DepEd
Education Secretary Leonor Briones reminds personnel to refrain from engaging in politics during voting day, urging them to focus on public service and 'remain a beacon of integrity'

MANILA, Philippines – As election day on Monday, May 13, draws near, more than half a million teachers will be deployed to serve as Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) members, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Saturday, May 11.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the DepEd was mobilizing 531,307 of its employees – including teachers, officials, and personnel – to carry out poll duties in the May 2019 elections. It is also turning 36,830 schools into polling centers.

“On May 13, our teachers will once more volunteer their time and energy to ensure that the conduct of the 2019 national and local elections is credible and orderly,” Briones said.

Every elections, the government taps public school teachers to serve as Board of Election Inspectors. (READ: DepEd launches app to help teachers monitor 2019 elections)

As election workers, teachers are responsible for making sure voting goes smoothly on election day as they oversee polling places, verify voters, and handle election-related materials like ballots and vote counting machines. Teachers aid the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in ensuring clean and honest elections.

The education secretary said DepEd and the Comelec worked closely to prepare teachers for poll duty. She gave assurances that “teachers and personnel are properly oriented and trained to serve in the polls.”

Aside from this, she told teachers that DepEd and Comelec ensured they would receive incentives for their election work.

Teachers working as BEIs can expect to receive P6,000 as a BEI chairperson and P5,000 as a BEI member. Officials and support staff also receive P4,000 and P2,000, respectively. On top of these, all are given P1,000 worth of travel allowance.

Briones likewise reminded DepEd personnel to refrain from engaging in “any partisan political activity” during voting day, urging them to focus on public service and “remain a beacon of integrity.” (READ:Briones to DepEd teachers, employees: Do not engage in politics)

Briones also thanked teachers and personnel for their service.

“We, at the Department of Education (DepEd), thank our teacher-volunteers for continuing to be on the frontline of the foremost exercise of democracy in the country notwithstanding the demands and challenges that the season entails.”

Comelec expects some 61 million registered voters to take part in the 2019 midterm elections. – Rappler.com

 

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Sofia Tomacruz

Sofia Tomacruz covers defense and foreign affairs. Follow her on Twitter via @sofiatomacruz.