House OKs bill making poll duties for teachers no longer mandatory

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a bill making election duties for public school teachers no longer mandatory.

House Bill 5412 was endorsed to the plenary by Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, chairman of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, and authored by Reps. Harlin Abayon, Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, Nicasio Aliping, Edgar Erice, Lawrence Lemuel Fortun, Leonor Gerona-Robredo, Eric Olivarez, Regina Ongsiako Reyes, Erlinda Santiago and Antonio Tinio.

The authors said the measure aims to free public school teachers from compulsory election duties as currently practiced, and to open up poll service to other government employees, members of citizens’ arms accredited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and private citizens of known probity and competence.

The measure mandates that should there be lack of teachers willing, available and qualified to discharge poll duties, the Comelec may tap instead any registered voter with the following order of preference: private school teachers; Department of Education non-teaching personnel; other national government officials and employees holding regular or permanent positions, excluding members of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police; members of accredited citizens’ poll arm and non-government organizations, or any citizen of know probity and competence who is not involved with any candidate or political party.

Government employees performing election duties need not be registered voters of the city or municipality in which they wish to serve. 

Those doing election duties will be compensated with amounts determined by the Comelec.