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BY Jonathan M. Hicap, Reporter
Members of the Alliance of
Concerned Teachers (ACT) staged a rally in front of the central
office of the Department of Education in Pasig City on Tuesday to
demand the immediate payment of their salary for April.
“The DepEd should have given
the salaries on April 21 or April 23,” according to Antonio Tinio,
ACT chairman.
In a dialogue, Education
Undersecretary Teodocio Sangil Jr., who is in charge of finance and
administration, admitted that salaries for teachers in Metro Manila
and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon and Rizal) were
delayed.
Sangil said the Land Bank of the
Philippines had a shortage of checks. For teachers getting their
salary through the automated teller machine, he said the Department
of Budget and Management was late in releasing the amount.
He promised that the salaries
would be released Wednesday.
In another development, the ACT
asked the Commission on Elections to provide additional compensation
to teachers serving as chairmen of the Boards of Election Inspectors
in the May 14 elections because of additional work they have to do.
The ACT is asking an additional
P2,000 for BEI chairmen on top of the P3,000 honorarium and P300
transportation allowance.
Tinio said Republic Act 9369, a
new election law that took effect in February, assigns new duties
for BEI chairmen such as retrieving and taking custody of the second
copy of the election returns posted on the precinct wall; taking
custody of unclaimed copies of election returns assigned to the
dominant majority party, dominant minority party and accredited
citizens’ arm.
Chairmen are also tasked to
produce the second copy for viewing or inspection upon the request
of any voter or competent authority; and to turn over the unclaimed
copies of election returns to authorized recipients upon request or
produce these at the behest of a competent authority.
While teachers appreciate the
intent of the law, Tinio said, “It is a very heavy burden that has
been placed on the already overworked teachers serving as BEI
chairmen.”
The ACT also raised concerns
regarding the security of teachers and the additional hours of work.
“Teachers are already stretched
to the limit, required by law to work non-stop from the time the
polling place opens, throughout the counting of ballots, preparation
of election returns, and return of the election materials to the
canvassing centers,” Tinio said.
The group also called on the
Comelec to come out with implementing rules that would ensure
adequate security for BEI chairmen and provide them with the
necessary support to carry out their custodial duties.
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