MANILA — Department of Education Secretary (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones has petitioned to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the increase of honoraria and allowances and withholding tax exemption on the compensation of teachers who will serve in the upcoming May 14 Barangay (village) and Sanggunian Kabataan (SK) polls.
“DepEd teachers and personnel have long been at the forefront of every electoral exercise in the country; with their immense experience in carrying out this enormous task in clustered precincts of huge populations, we deem that evaluation and discussion on the possible increase in honoraria and allowance are just and necessary,” Briones said in a statement on Thursday.
Briones said no poll honoraria were ever subjected to income tax prior to the effectivity of Republic Act No. 10756, or the Election Service Reform Act (ESRA); thus it is fitting for DepEd teachers and personnel to “truly benefit from their hard-earned compensation.”
The Bureau of Internal Revenue imposes a 5 percent withholding tax on the honoraria and transportation allowances that public school teachers will get for serving as Board of Inspectors (BEIs) and Board of Tellers (BETs) in the polls.
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Thursday, a teacher’s group disclosed it has asked the BIR to reconsider the 5 percent tax imposed on the honoraria and travel allowance of public school teachers serving poll duties.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers-National Capital Region member and Quezon City Public School Teachers Association (QCPSTA) president Mabelle Caboboy said the PHP1,000 travel allowance is not enough for teachers who travel several times for their electoral duties.
“First they’ll go the briefing, second to get election paraphernalia, third the election day itself, fourth the return of election paraphernalia. That’s times two because that’s to and from,” she said.
“Here in NCR it’s no longer enough. How about in the provinces? They use “habal-habal” in far-flung areas which costs PHP500 for one way, four times you’ll need to travel using ‘habal-habal’. What’s going to happen with your travel allowance plus your honorarium will be taxed?” she added.
Briones also requested Comelec to grant additional two days service credits and to permit the designation of authorized disbursing officer who will be allowed to draw cash advance for medical expenses of teachers who will serve in the Electoral Boards.
If granted, this would replace the common practice of medical reimbursements and help teachers who might need immediate hospital treatment.
ESRA currently provides optional rendering of electoral service, higher honoraria, additional travel allowance, five days service credits, legal indemnification package, medical assistance, and death benefit for teachers and personnel who will volunteer poll services.
QCPSTA board of director Imelda Canlas told PNA that many teachers were happy about the lifting of mandatory rendering of electoral service among teachers for reasons such as laborious duties, hazards to health, harassment, and legal cases that teachers face.
“Maraming hindi pumirma sa pagsisilbi bukod sa kadahilanang may mga kamag-anak silang tatakbo, sobrang pagod sa ganyan at mahirap kumuha ng compensation pagkatapos ng election. Sa fifteen years ko in service, may mga allowances sa nakaraang elections na hanggang ngayon ‘di pa sa amin naibigay pero ngayon chairman ako kaya magsisilbi ako at kasi kakaunti kaming guro ngayon (Many did not sign to serve aside from reasons that they have relatives who are electoral candidates, it involves hardships and it is difficult to get the compensation after the election. In my fifteen years of service, there are allowances in the past elections that were not given to us until now but I will serve now because I’m a chairman and because we have teachers who will serve),” Canlas said. ( Ma. Teresa Montemayor/PNA)
