The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday, May 15, said it has already received the letter from Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor M. Briones asking the poll body for the grant of additional honoraria for teachers and other members of the electoral boards (EB).
During a press briefing, Comelec Acting Spokesperson John Rex C. Laudiangco said the DepEd is also asking for additional honoraria for supervising officers and support staff who have experienced delays due to vote-counting machines (VCMs) issues.
“Bilang naman po namin sila, accounted po sila (We have already listed them) and we know who we will give this additional honoraria to,” he said.
The acting spokesperson confirmed that Comelec has asked for P3,000 additional honoraria for members of EB.
“But then again, the amount will be subject to the availability of funds, and of course in accordance with accounting and auditing rules,” Laudiangco clarified.
On May 13, Laudiangco said Comelec Commissioner George Erwin M. Garcia has recently asked the Comelec en banc to approve additional honoraria for members of EB who served for extended hours.
Garcia even issued a memorandum to urge his fellow commissioners in the Comelec to allow the granting of additional honoraria to members of EB.
Laudiangco noted that, in 2019, teachers who were affected by delays also received additional honoraria.