By Brian Campued
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Friday announced that it has approved a P2,000 across-the-board increase in the compensation of teachers and other poll workers serving in the May 12 midterm elections.
In a statement, DBM Sec. Amenah Pangandaman said the allowance hike came after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed their agency to ensure and support the welfare of teachers.
“Alam po natin na sa [pagbabantay] ng ating mga boto, haharap sa pagod, puyat, at sakripisyo ang ating mga guro at poll workers. Kaya noon pong inutusan tayo ng Pangulo na itaas ang kanilang benepisyo, hindi po tayo nagdalawang-isip,” Pangandaman stressed.
Under the new honoraria rates for those in the Electoral Board, the DBM chief said the chairperson will now receive P12,000, the poll clerk and third member of the board will get P11,000, while support staff will get P8,000.
Pangandaman, likewise, called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and other concerned agencies to “ensure that our teachers and poll workers will get their compensation as quickly as possible.”
“Dapat timely ang release ng kanilang benepisyo. They deserve nothing less,” she added.
Pangandaman noted that the budgetary requirement for the poll workers’ compensation and as authorized under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is P7.480 billion.
Based on the Election Service Reform Act and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 10194, persons rendering election service shall be entitled to honoraria, travel allowance, communication allowance, meal allowance, and service credit.
According to the Comelec, around 758,549 poll workers will be serving during the national and local elections on Monday.
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Sonny Angara assured that the Department of Education (DepEd) will continue to assist teachers as well as non-teaching personnel who will serve in the election board and ensure that the votes of every Filipino will be counted.
“Nandirito rin po ang ating monitoring team, quick response teams, at command center hindi lamang sa NCR (National Capital Region), kundi sa lahat ng mga regional offices at schools divisions levels. May mga opisina rin para tumulong at mag-assist sa ating mga maninilbihan sa eleksiyon,” Angara said.
“Nandirito kami para siguraduhin na mayroon kayong sapat na suporta at proteksiyon sa darating na halalan… Kayo ay tunay na haligi ng bayan at ng ating demokrasya,” he added.
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