DepEd creates task force to assist teachers, staff in May 2022 polls

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education has formed a task force to help its teachers and personnel with their duties during the May 9 elections.

DepEd Elections Task Force (ETF) Operation and Monitoring Center—which will lead the agency’s efforts in helping the Commission on Elections to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections—was created through DepEd Memorandum No. 10, s. 2022.

“The ETF will ensure that teachers and personnel are provided with adequate information, technical and legal assistance in the course of the performance of their duties as members of the Electoral Board," Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said. 

"This will also serve as DepEd’s institutional link to volunteer organizations and individuals,” she added.

The agency said that it has assigned undersecretaries Alain Pascua and Revsee Escobedo as DepEd ETF Operations and Monitoring Center chairman and vice chairman, respectively.

The DepEd ETF will be established at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office in Pasig City from May 8 to 10, which is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

All regional and schools/city division offices are also authorized to create their respective ETF Operations and Monitoring Centers on the same schedule.

“The regional directors and schools division superintendents are instructed to submit a list of five officials/employees who will compose its ETF, with their respective designation, position, salary grade, DepEd email address, and contact information,” Pascua said.

Overtime pay or honoraria will be granted to those who will join the task force, subject to the availability of funds and existing auditing rules and regulations, as well as the pertinent Civil Service laws.