DEPED ALL SET FOR PEACEFUL, ORDERLY POLLS

ARMIE D. DAVID

The Department of Education (DepEd), together with other government agencies, announced its readiness for an orderly and peaceful conduct of the 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Monday, May 14, where some DepEd personnel will volunteer to render poll duties.

Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del Pascua highlighted the efforts of the Department to ensure the safety of teachers. Election Task Force (ETF) and Monitoring Centers will be situated in the regions, to ensure that teachers are given necessary information as well as technical and legal assistance.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and DepEd recently signed a MOA which aims to protect and promote the welfare of DepEd personnel on the conduct of local elections, and to ensure that the law, in regard to their honoraria, allowances, and other benefits, is properly observed.

Recently, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones appealed to COMELEC that teachers who opt to render their time, energy, and safety to ensure the integrity of the ballot must not be encumbered by tax on their meager allowance.

Furthermore, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde announced that they will also put up a national task force which will provide “strategic directions to all police operations with regard to all election related programs and activities.”

He said the PNP is conducting regional inspections to check the operational readiness of its men on the ground, as they want to maintain best practices during the 2016 national elections and do even better security operations for this barangay and SK elections.

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The author is Teacher II at San Agustin Elementary School Annex, City of San Fernando, Pampanga