MANILA — A coalition of teachers on Thursday lauded the implementation of the Elections Services Reform Act (ERSA) which offers better compensation package, insurance and protection for teachers who will serve at the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls on May 14, 2018.
“Magandang balita po ito dahil matagal na batas na po ito, na panahon pa ni Noy Noy Aquino at magiging optional ang pagsisilbi sa halalan at tataas ang honorarium ng mga guro (This is good news because this is an old law, at the time of Noy Noy Aquino, and serving during the elections will be optional and the honoraria of the teachers will increase),” Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) national chairperson Benjo Basas told Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.
Basas said that law created under Republic Act 10756 will “reduce – if not totally put an end – to harassment, intimidation, violent attacks and post-election cases suffered by the teachers in the past elections.”
Since the teachers already have the option whether they want to serve or not, Basas said “the teachers will not be compelled to serve the elections if they perceive that they are not safe, secured o well compensated or simply they just do not want the task.”
Basas said they are confident that the law’s implementation “will favor the teachers who will sit in the electoral board for the upcoming Barangay and SK elections.”
ERSA renders election service non-compulsary for public school teachers, authorizes appointment of other qualified citizens and provides for compensation and other benefits of public teachers who opt to serve during the elections. It was approved on Apr. 8, 2016 by former President Benigno S. Aquino III. (PNA)
