The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has already approved the provision of additional honoraria for teachers and poll workers who had to work overtime due to failed vote-counting machines (VCM).
About 2,000 VCMs went on strike on May 9, election day, so the voting hours for the affected voters were extended.
“Approved na po ‘yan in principle, napag-usapan [ng Comelec] en banc,” said Comelec Commissioner George Garcia.
The Comelec has not yet mentioned how much additional compensation will be given to poll workers but has promised across-the-board or for all those who, over time, due to the missing VCM.
Last weekend, the Department of Education (DepEd) proposed to increase the additional pay to P3,000.
The queue of voters from the gate of Culiat Elementary School in Quezon City, for example, reached Tandang Sora Avenue on May 9.
A broken VCM allegedly caused it in some school precincts.
“Ginawan na ng paraan, pinapahinga na, tinututukan ng electric fan, ayaw pa rin siyang gumana,” said Jondie Bonilla, officer in charge at Culiat Elementary School.
“Mayroon pang mga ibang presinto na nagkakaroon din ng problema. Iyon din, pare-parehas lang din ng problema, na hindi binabasa ang boto ng mga botante… Nagiging segurista rin ang mga botante na mabasa talaga at magkaroon ng resibo,” Bonilla added.
Comelec approves extra pay for poll workers
Teachers and other poll workers and watchers fed ballots, printed paper trails and transmitted votes until morning.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers agreed with DepEd’s proposal, which has also provided the Comelec with a preliminary list of more than 1,000 electoral board members who have worked more than 24 hours since May 9.
On the other hand, Garcia promised that not only teachers would be given extra fees.
“Kundi [pati] mga nagsilbi na mga support staff, ‘yong mga technician diyan sa mga presinto na ‘yan. Kinakailangan na sila ay pantay-pantay na matatanggap,” said Garcia.
DepEd thanked the teachers for their contribution to the peaceful elections.
The agency ensured its continuous liaison with the Comelec for the provision of election honoraria and other allowances.
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