DepEd should push for tax exemption of teachers' poll honoraria, says group

A teachers group on Thursday called on the Department of Education (DepEd) during a Senate hearing to help them with their fight in seeking tax exemption for their election service honorariums for the May 2022 polls.

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means joint hearing with Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation discussed the measures that push for income tax compensation exemption for teachers who will serve as members of the electoral board for the May 9 polls, namely House Bill Number 9652, and Senate Bill Numbers 117, 1193, and 2456.

“Medyo masakit po sa’kin ‘yung hindi parang proactive, hindi supportive ‘yung aming Department of Education for this measure,” Teachers' Dignity Coalition National Chairperson Benjo Basa said.

“Dapat ang DepEd ang unang-unang nakakaalam, ang unang-unang dumadamay, at ang unang-unang nagtatanggol sa karapatan, sa kagalingan ng kanyang mga guro dahil kami ay empleyado ng Department of Education. Hinihiram lamang kami ng Comelec ‘pag election time,” he added.

(It hurts a bit that our Department of Education is not proactive, not supportive of this measure. DepEd should be the first to know, the first to sympathize, and the first to defend the rights of its teachers because we are their employees. The Comelec only borrows from us during election time.)

Basa was referring to the statement of Education Secretary Leonor Briones who said that while they acknowledge the plight of the teachers, the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) are the ones best in the position to provide comments in the matter.

In response, DepEd director Atty. Marcelo Bragado said that while they understand the sentiments of the teachers, the Education department is also exerting effort to help the teachers for the upcoming elections.

“Kami po ay tumutulong at kasalukuyang tumutulong sa inyong hinaing. Hindi naman siguro tama na sabihin na kami ay nagpapabaya at tahimik lamang. Kami ay tumutulong. Katunayan ang increase ng honoraria ng ating mga teachers ay dahil sa aming pakikipagpulong sa Comelec,” he said.

(We are currently helping you. It may not be right to say that we are neglecting you and are just being quiet about this. We are helping. In fact, the increase in honoraria of our teachers is due to our meeting with the Comelec.)

Bragado was referring to Comelec Resolution No. 10727 promulgated November 2021, which states that persons rendering election-related service are entitled to the following honoraria:

• Chairperson of Electoral Board (EB) - P7,000
• Members of EB - P6,000
• DepEd Supervisor Official (DESO) - P5,000
• Support Staff - P3,000
• Medical Personnel - P3,000

DepEd earlier said that those who will serve in the 2022 elections will be granted additional transportation allowance of P2,000, communication allowance of P1,500, and anti-COVID-19 allowance of P500.

Meanwhile, Alliance of Concerned Teachers-National Capital Region (ACT-NCR) union president Vladimer Quetua said that aside from their call to increase their election allowance, they also ask the government to pay the possible extended work hours or days that will be rendered by the teachers to take into consideration the COVID-19 situation.

The group also sought free testing and medical aid if the teachers get infected with the virus, and provide legal protection for them.

“Hindi nakakadagdag sa yaman ng BEI (Board of Election Inspectors) ang election service compensation. Nakakalungkot. Malaking bahagi nito ay napupunta sa aktwal na gastos sa pamasahe, pagkain, load at, para makagana yung araw-araw na pag-gampan sa gawain sa eleksyon,” Quetua said.

(Election service compensation does not add to the wealth of the BEIs. It's saddening. A large part of this goes to the actual cost of fares, food, loads and other things that will run our election work.)

The ACT Philippines had staged a protest in front of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) last Wednesday to raise before poll officials concerns including the imposition of a 20% tax on the honorarium for teachers serving election duties in Eleksyon 2022.

Further, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, one of the authors of the bills seeking tax exemption on election honoraria, called on the DOF and the BIR to give a proposal on how the full amount can be given to the teachers.

“I am appealing to the DOF, number one, to look at the plight of our teachers because taking home P2,500 is not so much if you divide that per day and per activity, it’s not so much. Second, can DOF propose to us how we can give our teachers the full amount instead of deducting 20%,” he said.

During the same hearing, both the DOF and BIR stressed that they do not support the proposed tax exemption, citing the provisions of the Tax Code.

“If we provide exemptions for this sector, then other sectors might clamor for the same. Second, we believe that the tax system is not the best way to provide additional benefits for the sectors. If we want to provide them with benefits, then perhaps we credit them for other means except for the tax system because it may be subject for abuse and it will be more difficult to implement if we address benefits through the tax system,” DOF Director Arvin Lawrence Quiñones said.—LDF, GMA News