In Negros Oriental more than 3K teachers to get honoraria for poll services

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A total of 3,228 teachers who compose the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in 1,076 precincts all over the province will shortly receive their cash cards from the national government as honorarium for services rendered during the election period.

This was confirmed the other day by provincial election officer Juvenal Tuale while a number of teachers have yet to receive their cash cards from their respective election officers.

The BEIs will have to fill up the forms for them to get their cash cards that can be claimed in a government bank like an ATM.

The 3,228 BEIs will receive P4,000 each, according to Tuale who also admitted there are teachers who have yet to receive theirs.

Tuale, on the other hand, has reminded each candidate, winner or loser, to comply with the obligation to file his or her statement of contributions and expenditures and all the required attachments on or before June 13, pursuant to Paragraph 6 of Section 14 of Republic Act 7166 or the law on synchronized local and national elections.

Tuale said the rules and regulations on the disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures are provided for in Comelec Resolution 9476, and failure to file such would mean a penalty of not less than P30,000 in fines.

For candidates who belong to a political party, P3 for every voter is allowed and for independent candidates, P5 is allowed. With total registered voters of 773,937, a candidate for governor in Negros Oriental, for example, is expected to spend only a maximum of P2.29 million.

Observations, however, showed it was possible some candidates spent more than what was required by law, as evidenced by the reports of massive vote buying, considering that they actually started their election campaign after they had filed their certificates of candidacy in October last year.

Meanwhile, DepEd's provincial schools division superintendent Dr. Salustiano Jimenez, for his part, lauded the service of public teachers in the recent elections as well as other previous commitments, such as the athletic meets held in Dumaguete and Negros Oriental, especially the 2013 Palarong Pambansa.  (FREEMAN)