Reelectionist Senator Risa Hontiveros has urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to defer the higher withholding tax on the compensation of teachers doing poll duties in May elections.

Hontiveros said a number of teachers tapped for election duties have been "blindsided" by the move to increase the withholding tax on poll work pay from 5 percent in 2019 to 20 percent this year.

"I ask that the BIR and the COMELEC (to) defer the collection of the 20 percent tax," Hontiveros said Tuesday, March 15.

"Gaya ng karamihan ng ating mga kababayan, nagsisimula pa lang ang ating mga gurong bumangon mula sa dagok ng pandemya. Kaya napaka-wrong timing talaga at sobrang lupit ng tax increase na ito (Like many of our fellowmen, teachers are also starting to rise from the impact of the pandemic. So, this is really wrong timing and this tax increase is very cruel)," Hontiveros added.

The senator pointed out that election service compensation for teachers must be non-taxable in the first place, stressing that the "next big thing" to do is to keep the withholding tax to 5 percent.

"It's the least we can do for them. The 20 percent withholding tax is just too much," she said.

She also urged the BIR and Comelec to immediately respond to the teachers' concerns by organizing a dialogue with the group.

"They really shouldn't insist on implementing this tax increase now," she said.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 10727, the pay rates of teachers who will serve in the upcoming May 9 polls include P7,000 for the chairman of the electoral board in each voting precinct; P6,000 for each board member; P5,000 for the supervising education official; and P3,000 for each support staff.

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