Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Erwin M. Garcia has asked the Comelec en banc to approve additional honoraria for teachers who rendered services as electoral boards (EBs) for extended hours.

The poll commissioner issued a memorandum to urge his fellow commissioners in the Comelec to allow the granting of additional honoraria to teachers.

“Going to the possibility of granting additional honoraria to our teachers who were affected by the issues on the VCM. As of last night, Commissioner George Erwin Garcia had made a positive move for its grant to the Commission en banc, which the Commission en banc had warmly received,” Comelec Acting Spokesperson John Rex C. Laudiangco said, Friday, May 13, in a press briefing.

According to him, teachers who were affected by delays also received additional honoraria in 2019.

Laudianco noted that a representative of the Department of Education (DepEd) went to Comelec to inform the poll body that the agency will also be making a similar formal manifestation.

“Makikiisa po sila sa amin sa pag-grant ng additional honoraria (They will join us in asking for the grant of additional honoraria),” he said.

“It has to undergo en banc approval and it was already submitted and filed by Commissioner Garcia today kaya nga po kanina bisita namin ang representative ng DepEd (that’s why we were visited by a DepEd representative),” he noted.

The supposed additional honoraria, he said, will only be given “to those identified who have been delayed by the issues the VCM.”

“As to the number, it will be based on the officially reported electoral boards who encountered the issues,” said Laudiangco.

The acting spokesperson said those who will receive the supposed honoraria include DepEd supervising officer and support staff.