DepEd assures teachers’ availability for poll duties

Despite the calls of teachers groups to make election duties optional, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday assured that many public school teachers are still willing to serve come 2016 elections.

"Ang ating mga guro ay palaging handang magsilbi sa eleksyon (Our teachers are always ready to render election duties),” DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali said during a forum at the Diamond Hotel in Manila.

Umali said that while some teachers’ groups are urging DepEd and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make poll duties optional for them, he stressed that many public school teachers are still willing to sit as members of Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs).

"Wala po tayo dapat ikabahala lalo na ngayon automated ang elections, mas madali compared to the manual elections before (There is nothing to worry about, since the elections are automated, it’s easier compared to the manual voting before,)” Umali said.

TDC’s appeal

Earlier, Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC), a 30,000-strong group, reiterated their call for the voluntary election duties for public school teachers.

"It has been our long-time advocacy to liberate our teachers from compulsory poll duties that resulted in countless cases of intimidation, court battles, anxiety, threat to lives and even death," he said.

TDC also expressed support to the earlier appeal of the DepEd not to revert to manual elections and to make election service to teachers voluntary.

"We are one with the DepEd in pursuing the voluntary election service of public school teachers," he said.

No to hybrid system

TDC has expressed strong opposition to the "hybrid system" being proposed to the Comelec for the 2016 elections.

It said that the hybrid system would put "teachers in so much hardship and would expose us to harassment and possible electionrelated violence."

TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas said the "hybrid system" would "actually a revert to manual polls at precinct level."

TDC also commended DepEd for supporting their call to make election duties for teachers voluntary. Earlier, Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that there have been many incidents of election-related violence where teachers serving as Board of BEIs were the targets.

DepEd, Luistro said, also shares the concerns of teachers that similar incidents will happen again. "It is in the best interest of teachers if they will be given a choice to render election service for 2016," he said.