Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer Bongbong Marcos has taken up the cudgels for public school teachers by calling on authorities to ensure that they receive their overtime pay particularly for their upcoming election duties.
Marcos pointed out that while the May 9 polls are just around the corner, the teachers’ appeal for overtime pay in their duty on election day and the removal of tax on their honorarium has yet to be acted upon.
“Alam naman natin ang hirap na dinaranas ng ating mga guro na miyembro ng mga BEIs (Board of Election Inspectors), ‘yung iba nahaharap pa sa panganib (We all know the hardships that teachers who are members of the BEIs go through, some of them even endanger themselves)," the presidential survey frontrunner was quoted as saying in a statement Tuesday, April 5.
"Kaya dapat namang magawan na ng paraan ng mga concerned agencies itong apila ng ating mga guro na sana’y mabigyan sila ng overtime pay para sa election duty nila at mai-waive ang tax sa honorarium nila sa araw na ‘yun (That's why the concerned agencies must find ways to act on the appeals of our teachers for them to be given overtime pay for their election duty and have their honorarium tax waived on that day)," added the UniTeam bet.
He put into perspective the tough work that public school teachers endure as part of the BEI during poll season.
“Yung election duty nila katumbas ng ilang araw na trabaho, at tuwing eleksyon na lang laging matagal na nga bago maibigay ang honorarium nila, hindi pa sila well-compensated (Their election duty is worth several days, and with every election their honorarium takes a long time to get released. On top of that they're not well-compemsated)," Marcos noted.
He made his appeal even as the Department of Education (DepEd) formed the Elections Task Force (ETF) Operation and Monitoring Center to provide technical and legal assistance to teachers who will perform poll duties on May 9.
DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said that they wanted to help the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ensure and conduct a free, peaceful, and honest elections.
“The ETF will ensure that teachers and personnel are provided with adequate information, technical and legal assistance in the course of the performance of their duties as members of the Electoral Board. This will also serve as DepEd’s institutional link to volunteer organizations and individuals,” Briones said.
Payments of honorarium to teachers who will serve in the ETF will be subjected to rules and regulations of Commission on Audit (COA).