‘Honoraria for teachers on poll duty released’

MANILA, Philippines - The honoraria for teachers who served during last week’s elections have been released by the Department of Budget and Management at the start of the year, and it will be up to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to distribute it, the Palace said yesterday.

“The total amount given to the Comelec was P960 million as part of the comprehensive release. The distribution of the honoraria is no longer with the executive,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB.

Valte appealed to the Comelec to help the teachers who rendered poll duties. She said the little assistance would be in exchange for the work they rendered during the elections.

“Their additional workload is not easy, so we really salute our teachers,” she said. Earlier, Education Secretary Armin Luistro assured the teachers who served as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) that there would be no delay in getting their honoraria.

Citing reports from the Comelec, Luistro said the funds for the honoraria and other support staff during the elections “have already been downloaded” to the Landbank.

Data from the DepEd Election Task Force (ETF) showed that a total of 233,487 teachers served as BEIs last Monday.