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Comelec eyes increasing poll workers' honorarium up to P10,000


The Commission on Elections (Comelec) wants to increase the honorarium of poll workers up to 10,000, its chairman George Garcia said on Tuesday.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Garcia said the pay increase may start with the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) on October 30.

“Ang Comelec po ay gagawa ng paraan na sa halip na P6,000, P5,000, P4,000—P6,000 sa chairman, P5,000 sa members at P4,000 sa nagtratrabago sa presinto—gagawin po ng Comelec ang lahat upang maging 10,000, P9,000, P8,000 ang kanilang po matatangap sa araw ng halalan dahil nga po ito ay manual na,” he said.

(The Comelec will find a way. So instead of P6,000 for the chairman, P5,000 for members, and P4,000 for the workers in the precincts, we will make their honorarium 10,000, P9,000, and P8,000 on election day because this is a manual election.)

Garcia said one of the reasons for the possible increase is that only a small amount is left to poll workers after tax.

Meanwhile, Garcia said the Comelec will hold a mock automated election in June for the 2023 BSKE.

“Ang gagawin po natin bilang pagsagot din po sa concern ng ating Senate electoral reforms committee ay magma-mock elections po muna kami ngayong darating na Hunyo bago po yung mismong pilot test ng October,” he said.

(What we will do in response to the concerns of the Senate electoral reforms committee is  conduct a mock election first before the pilot test in October.)

On Monday, Senate electoral reforms and people's participation Chairperson Imee Marcos questioned Comelec's plan to hold the pilot testing for automated polls simultaneously with the 2023 BSKE on October 30.

"I've never heard of a pilot during the election, at the same time with the same results. That's no longer a pilot," Marcos said during a Senate hearing.

However, Garcia said the Comelec would still pursue the pilot test of automated polls in three areas on election day.

He also added that the poll body is now working on a proposed budget for an automated BSKE. —VAL, GMA Integrated News

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