DBM sets aside P3.3B for teachers doing poll duty

Following a meeting between Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and public school teachers in Malacañang Thursday, the Budget Department has set aside P3.3 billion for their concerns. Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr said the amount is part of the funds Malacañang has placed on "standby" for the coming May 14 elections. "Yung P3.3 billion naka-standby para sa teachers at Board of Election Inspectors (The P3.3 billion is on standby for teachers who will be part of the Board of Election Inspectors)," Andaya said in an interview on dzXL radio Friday. Andaya was supposed to meet with members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Thursday morning but he was not in his office near Malacañang when the teachers went there. Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr, who met with the teachers and received their concerns, accompanied the teachers to see Andaya. Unable to meet Andaya, Abalos accompanied the teachers to meet instead with Ermita. QTV-11 television reported Thursday that during the 20-minute meeting, Ermita approved an increase in transportation allowance to P300 and an insurance coverage of P200,000. The teachers initially demanded an additional transportation allowance of P500 and an insurance coverage of P500,000 for election duty. But Ermita did not approve the demands for a daily duty pay of P2,000 for three days of election service, or P6,000; and an additional P1,000 hazard pay. It was not clear if the government will act on the teachers' other demands, which included 10 days' leave credits for each of the three days of election service, and legal assistance if they are sued. Abalos had said he will bring up the two concerns with the Education Department. On the other hand, the teachers said the assurances given by Ermita had not taken away their fears of violence and cheating in the May 14 polls. But they assured Ermita they will continue to fulfill their election duty as part of their "obligation." - GMANews.TV