Teachers' group asks Duterte, BIR not to impose 5-percent tax on poll honorarium

A teachers' group on Monday asked President Rodrigo Duterte and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) not to impose five-percent tax on the honorarium and travel allowance for teachers who will serve in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections next week.

"Nanawagan kami sa BIR, of course kay Pangulong Duterte, na huwag nang papatawan ng five percent na buwis. Buwis-buhay na ang mga grupo sa poll duties natin, 'wag nang dagdagan pa ng buwis," Benjo Basas, leader of the Teachers' Dignity Coalition, told Unang Balita in an interview.

Basas said they are confident that Duterte and the BIR will heed the teachers' call.

He said that even Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones has expressed support for their call against the five-percent tax on the teachers' honoraria for their poll duties.

Basas said a teacher will receive P5,000 plus travel allowance from the Commission on Elections if she will serve as chairperson of the election board and members are entitled to a maximum of P5,000 plus travel allowance.

He said that they are no longer asking for an increase in the honorarium and allowance, but the imposition of tax will hurt the teachers.

Meanwhile, Basas said teachers are hopeful that the government will fully implement Republic Act 10756 or the Election Service Reform Act signed in 2016.

It would be the first time that the law will be implemented.

Under the law, teachers may turn down poll duties. The law, meanwhile, mandates the government to provide insurance, medical assitance and five days service credit and legal indemnification to teachers who will volunteer to serve in elections.

Basas said majority of teachers support the new law. —ALG, GMA News