Namfrel needs volunteers

The National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) is looking for volunteers to help carry out its mandate as a citizen’s arm of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Monday.

“Namfrel has issued a general call for volunteers to observe the barangay and SK elections... Volunteers are encouraged to observe the ... process from campaigning to voting, counting and canvassing of votes,” the group said in an advisory.

Namfrel stressed that those interested should “commit to be non-partisan throughout the election process” before they would be accepted as volunteers.

Tomorrow is the last day to sign up as volunteers.

Teachers’ honoraria

In a related development, teachers who will serve in the elections will receive their honoraria and allowances after 15 days.

Officials of the Comelec and Department of Education (DepEd) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Monday on the benefits that public school teachers serving in the elections will receive, including the timeline for their release.

Based on the MOA, P6,000 will be given to those who will serve as chairpersons of electoral boards, P5,000 for board members, P4,000 for DepEd supervisors and P2,000 for support staff. They will also receive P1,000 in travel allowance.

The other benefits include at least five days service credit, legal indemnification package worth P50,000, medical assistance of up to P200,000 and election-related death benefit amounting to P500,000.

Comelec acting chairman Al Pareño and DepEd Undersecretary Alain del Pascua signed the MOA.