Help for teachers
during elections

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

It is good to hear that the Department of Education is taking steps to help the teachers who will be conscripted to serve as members of the Board of Electoral Inspectors in the elections to be held on May 13 this year.

For so many years now, the teachers who have been rendering duty during elections have been complaining about how thankless, and often dangerous their work is. Not only do they have to attend to voters all day, they also have to stay up for the counting that, in previous elections, even lasted for days.

Now the DepEd, led by its head, Secretary Armin Luistro, has formed an Election Task Force with an operation center that will operate from the DepEd head office starting May 12.

Through this, the department will ensure that the teachers who will serve during the election are equipped with technical and legal assistance as they perform their tasks. Such assistance will also be available to school officials and employees also serving during the election.

As for the legal problems they may encounter in the course of their service as BEIs, the DepEd secretary has confirmed that an agreement has been made with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for it to provide legal assistance to those who may encounter trouble with some candidates or their supporters. This is especially important because, until now, we still have some teachers who are facing court suits filed by disgruntled politicians, who take their disappointment out on the poor teachers.

There are about 240,000 teachers all over the country who will serve in the election next month. We hope that, this time, they look forward to the task with less apprehension, because of the assurance of having the ETF behind them.*