No increase in honoraria for teachers on poll duty – Comelec

MANILA, Philippines - Teachers who will serve as part of the local Boards of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in the general elections in May will not be getting additional pay.

Despite appeals to increase their honorarium, BEIs will only receive a total of P4,500 just like in past elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said in a resolution.

According to the poll body, all BEI chairpersons and members shall receive P1,000 a day or a total of P3,000 for their three-day service.

For the verification and sealing of the Book of Voters, final testing and sealing of the vote counting machines, and transportation allowance, each teacher will also get P500 per task.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista earlier reported that the commission is looking at ways to provide teachers higher pay despite the limited allocation of the Department of Budget and Management.

Teachers’ groups and Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza have been pushing for an increase in the honorarium of BEIs.

BEI members are mandated to conduct the voting and counting of votes in their respective polling places as well as act as deputies of the Comelec in supervising the conduct of elections in their precinct.

City and municipal election officers will start today the constitution of BEI members for every clustered polling precinct.

They have until Jan. 15 to complete composition of the BEIs. There shall be one BEI composed of a chairperson, a poll clerk, and a third member per precinct.

Qualifications to become a BEI member include having good moral character, being a registered voter of the city or municipality, has never been convicted of any election offense or other crimes punishable by more than six months of imprisonment, has no pending election offense case, and the facility to speak and write in English or the local dialect.

The Comelec said preference shall be given to those with permanent appointments, those who served in the May 2013 elections, and those with specialized training in dealing with persons with disability.

Teachers related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any candidate to be voted for in the polling place or the candidate’s spouse are not qualified to serve in the BEIs.