VP Duterte visits Comelec; checks on teachers' safety, compensation for BSKE duties
By Raymund Antonio and Raymund Antonio
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte visited the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) command center at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) head office to check on the adequacy of measures for the protection of public school teachers, as well as provisions for compensation as they fulfill their election tasks.
(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to Comelec Chairman George Garcia during her visit to the BSKE command center on Oct. 25, 2023. (Photo from Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook)
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Oct. 29, the official shared about her Wednesday visit to the Comelec command center, where the Department of Education (DepEd) was also allowed to set up its own command area.
Duterte said Comelec showed how they would be monitoring the election process, as well as ensuring that teachers would be properly compensated as they are the primary ones who would lead an “honest, orderly, (and) peaceful” elections.
“Binigyang-diin natin ang mahalagang papel ng mga guro na buong pusong naglilingkod sa kabila ng mga panganib na kanilang kinakaharap para lamang masiguro ang matagumpay na pagsasagawa ng halalan (We stressed the importance of the roles of teachers that wholeheartedly serve despite the dangers they face just to ensure the success of the elections),” she added.
“Isa sa mga layunin natin sa Department of Education ay ang paniguraduhing ligtas ang mga guro sa mga pampublikong paaralan na nagsasakripisyo at naglalaan ng oras para sa pagsisilbi sa eleksyon (One of the goals of the Department of Education is to ensure that our public school teachers who sacrifice and give their time to serve in the elections are safe).”
Duterte, who also serves as the country’s education chief in a concurrent capacity, noted that Comelec, DepEd, and the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) signed last Sept. 18, 2023 a Memorandum of Agreement that aims to protect more than 8,000 teachers who will serve in the BSKE’s electoral board.
“Ipinapaabot natin sa kanila ang ating pasasalamat sa lahat ng kanilang tulong at tayo’y maninigurado na mabigyan sila ng karampatang proteksyon at legal na suporta sa halalang ito, kung kinakailangan (We are extending to them our gratitude in all their help and we will make sure that they will be given enough protection and legal support in this election, if needed),” the official said.
She also thanked Comelec for providing an area in their headquarters for DepEd’s own command center, which will make it easier for teachers to reach out to the poll body.
The BSKE will be held on Monday, Oct. 30.