ACT calls on Comelec to release delayed honoraria of teachers

By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com

MANILA –The Alliance of Concerned Teachers said teachers who served during the elections worked beyond voting hours; some were even harassed and are facing charges and yet, the Commission on Elections has not yet given what is due to them.

“It has been two weeks now since the elections. The winning senators have already been proclaimed but the BEIs, the teachers who made the election possible, have not yet been compensated,” said France Castro, second nominee of ACT Teachers’ Party. While in some areas, the honoraria for BEIs have already already released, she said, they are still receiving reports from different regions about the much-delayed release of the honoraria.

The teachers are supposed to receive P4,000 ($95.86) for serving as BEIs. This is much lower than the P4,300 ($103.05) teachers received during the 2010 national elections.

Castro pointed out: “Voting hours were extended from the 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in previous elections to 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.. And our work did not end there. We still have to ensure that votes are transmitted; some teachers had to stay overnight,” Castro told Bulatlat.com.

Castro appealed to the people to not pin the blame on teachers for whatever delays that occurred during the elections. “We could not do anything if the PCOS machines broke down or were defective, if the compact flash cards were corrupted, if the modem for the transmission of votes were too few, if the modem could not get a signal or could not transmit the results. Those were not our fault.”

Castro said they also received reports that one BEI was sued by a local politician because of the delayed transmission of votes.

At the Commonwealth Elementary School during the May 13 elections, only 17 modems were allocated for 31 clustered precincts and there were only five technicians who were there to fix the numerous technical problems that arose. As of 10:00 p.m. during the same day (May 13), only one clustered precinct had been able to successfully transmit the results. At the San Francisco Elementary School, there were only two technicians and four modems, and by 9:00 p.m., only one precinct had been able to transmit the results.

Castro said they have nothing against an automated election system. However, the Comelec should have been open to and followed up on the recommendations of poll watchdogs.

Teachers’ lament

In their Facebook page, ACT has received a number of complaints from teachers who served during elections. Among which are the following:

Marietta Macajig Golifardo: grabe pagod…poor teachers..over worked yet..still underpaid, imagine working 4 more than 30 hrs., hindi ka halos makakain ni mk jingle, wla man lng food or transpo allowance b4 election, super risky pa ang buhay ma deliver lang sa North city Hall ang ibang materials then to North Comelec…then we’re still hoping when will be our pay ??? CONGRATS TO ALL THE TEACHERS WHO SERVED THIS ELECTION…DAKILA TALAGA TAYO !!!

Yan Paul Teves: May number nga pero wla namang sumasagot……. tsk2… puro satsat.. di naman totoo….. may 14 daw……. ano na ngayon…. Act Phils…saan na tinig nyo po….. ang laging sinasabi ng gobyerno ngayon, puro lang good face in public ika nga pang photo op….. hahaizt…. justiis na lang mga pinoy…. saan kaya ang pag asa…. disperado lang po.. nakisawsaw lang…

Emely Chiong Macarambon-Batingolo: m a PCOS Supervisor, a teacher, honestly, tao lang din ako, nangangamba at natatakot…I STRONGLY DEMAND FOR AN INCREASE OF OUR HONORARIUM..buhay namin nakataya kapalit sa 4 tausan????

Gerlie Aquino: wala pa rin naman eh….grabe ang tagal, parang walang planong ibigay..panawagan sa mga nanalo lalo na kang Sen. Angara, tulungan kaming i-follow-up sweldo namin

Tenjinine Cristine Delos Reyes Baldomero: tama mga kaguruan lagi pinauupo tpos pag nagka defective mga pcos nila tayo pa sinisisi ba’t d sila umupo at mag maniobra ng mga pcos ng malamn nila hirap at pagod ntin aba!aba! tpos plano p tanggalan tayo ng shod pag bakasyon bkit?????? mararating ba nila ang kinalalagyan nila ngayon kundi dahil sa ating mga guro?????

Johna Ordinez Llunado: aus ba silang mga taga comelecc..nakita ba nila paghihirap ng mga guro na abutin ng magdamag sa poling place at inumaga na dahil sa haba ng pila sa city hall..sana nasaksihan nila kung panu ginawang basura ang mga guro dahil isinakay sila sa trak ng basura maidiliver lang ang election returns, sana nakita nila yun..hindi man ako kasama sa mga guro na yun pero nung makita ko sila naiyak ako…bakit di na inalintana ng mga guro ang sitwasyon magawa lang angresponsibilidad nila..at kahangahanga sa kabila ng ganung sitwasyon nakukuha pa ng guro ngumiti…mahiya nmn kayo para sisihin ang kasiraan ng pcos saming mga guro..maarte lang kayo>>>MABUHAY TAYONG MGA GURO…

The ACT Teachers Party is encouraging BEIs who still haven’t received their honorarium, as well as PCOS technicians and supervisors to call the number that the Department of Education provided for complaints: (02) 636-1663, (02)633-1942 and 0919-4560027. (https://www.bulatlat.com)

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