DepEd opens poll operations center for teachers serving as BEIs

The Department of Education (DepEd) opened its Election Task Force Operation Center on Sunday to assist public school teachers serving as board of election inspectors (BEIs) in the national and local elections.

The operation center located within the DepEd complex in Pasig City will offer information dissemination, technical and free legal assistance for BEIs. The legal assistance will be provided by the Public Attorney's Office.

Election Task Force Operation Center ng @DepEd_PH, binuksan na. #Eleksyon2016 | via @glenjuego pic.twitter.com/M8mCDMoIV0

— GMA News Breaking (@gmanewsbreaking) May 8, 2016

Tiniyak ng DepEd ang tulong sa mga gurong magkakaproblema sa usaping teknikal at legal. | via @glenjuego pic.twitter.com/44akbzGd3g

— GMA News Breaking (@gmanewsbreaking) May 8, 2016

Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Atty. Alberto Muyot said DepEd supervisors serving as board of canvassers were placed in different polling centers to answer queries from the BEIs.

The same supervisors will reach the command center on behalf of the BEIs to allow the teachers to focus on their roles in the polling precincts.

Police BEIs in election hotspots

Meanwhile, Muyot said police officers are also on standby in areas where public school teachers may be vulnerable to harassments.

The policemen will be ordered to take on the role of BEIs if teachers will not be able to go to the polling precincts.

The Philippine National Police assigned 200 policemen to serve as BEIs in seven municipalities in Lanao del Norte, including 170 clustered precincts and 65 polling centers.

Additional 200 policemen have also been put on standby in five municipalities of Lanao del Sur including 102 clustered precincts and 23 polling centers.

Fourhundred more police BEIs, meanwhile, have been put on standby in Maguindanao. —Tristan Joseph Roxas/ALG, GMA News