The Department of Education is seeking an increase in the honoraria of teachers who will serve as poll workers in the May 2022 elections.
“Although it is less than our proposed increase for our teachers who will serve as poll workers, we appreciate the adjusted rates, and we will coordinate with Comelec for a possible increase of the honoraria and other allowances and benefits,” Secretary Leonor Briones said.
The Comelec released its approved new honoraria and allowances for the members of the electoral board (EB) and other poll workers on Nov. 10. The rates, however, were below DepEd’s proposed remuneration.
In June, the department prescribed the following honoraria rates – P9,000 for chairpersons; P8,000 for electoral board members; P7,000 for DepEd supervisor officials (DESO); and P5,000 for support staff.
Health insurance coverage for those who will be infected with the virus was also requested, as well as other benefits such as on-site swab testing, shifting, and working hours of public school teachers in the electoral board, tax exemption, among others.
But the Comelec approved only the following rates: chairperson of the electoral board, P7,000; electoral board members, P6,000; DESO, P5,000; and support staff, P3,000.
The chairperson and members of the electoral board and DESO and their staff are also entitled to P2,000 travel allowance – P1,000 for the day of final testing and sealing of the vote-counting machine and another P1,000 for election day.
Meanwhile, Comelec passed Resolution No. 10732 which bars candidates in next year’s national elections from making physical contact in meetings and other related activities during the campaign period.
This includes “handshakes, hugs, going arm-in-arm, or any action that involves physical contact among the candidate, their companions, and the public,” Comelec said.
It also prohibited taking photos with the candidates as well as giving out food and drinks, among others.
“Taking selfies, photographs and other similar activities that require close proximity between the candidate and their companions, and the public; and distribution of food and drink, and all other goods or items,” read the resolution promulgated on Nov. 24.
The poll body also set the allowed capacity for motorcades and caravans based on categories referring to the five-tier alert level system implemented by the government, with Category 1 being the most relaxed and Category 5 being the strictest.
No motorcades and caravans will be allowed under Category 5.
“Only candidates, campaign leaders, and supporters belonging to the same household are allowed to be in the same vehicles,” the resolution read.
Disallowed during motorcades for all levels are the following: stopovers, layovers, and other similar stoppages for the conduct of other election campaign activities; handshakes, hugs, kisses, going arm-in-arm, or any action that involves physical contact among the candidate, their companions, and the public; taking selfies, photographs and other similar activities that require close proximity between the candidate and their companions and the public; and distribution of food and drink, and all other goods or items.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, for its part, has approved a prayer for the public for peaceful, credible, and transparent elections next year.
In a circular released on Friday, CBCP president Archbishop Romulo Valles said the “Prayer for 2022 Elections” is to be recited in all Sunday Masses starting November 28.
“The prayer is similar to the Oratio Imperata but its focus is on the 16 values enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution,” he said.
