Wednesday, September 12, 2007 Salimbangon wants stipend for poll watchdogs
IF REP. Benhur Salimbangon has his way, accredited volunteers for the elections will get allowances from the government.
Salimbangon (Cebu, 4th district) filed last Sept. 3 House Bill 2391, which seeks to grant allowances to volunteers of “duly accredited election citizen’s arm or watchdog organizations” such as the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) and Cebu-Citizens’ Involvement and Maturation in People’s Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel), among others.
There is no estimated budget contained in the bill, but Salimbangon said the amount necessary for the implementation of his proposed “Election Volunteers Allowance Act of 2007” shall be charged against the appropriations of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the national budget.
Honorarium
The government is apparently grappling with the need for funds with elections scheduled months away from each other, as the local Comelec office has yet to pay for the honorarium of those who served during the extended voter’s registration for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).
Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano asked their central office for a cash advance of P2.808 million for the 2,344 two-member receiving committees that served in the four-day extension.
They were supposed to receive P300 for their daily honorarium.
Salimbangon is proposing an allowance of P500 for every day of service rendered by volunteers identified or affiliated with an accredited election citizen’s arm.
“Election volunteers are the very persons who neutralize the conduct of election. Their presence in the polling place and their role… is one of the major factors that bring about a true, honest and orderly election. However, more often than not, they are the ones who are unrecognized and not lauded for their heroic service,” Salimbangon said.
Representative
He added that through the years, volunteers have risked their lives and until now, they remain “steadfast in their mission to promote honesty.”
Salimbangon’s proclamation as fourth district representative was one that was helped by the presence of volunteers.
The last House representative to be proclaimed, Salimbangon questioned the authenticity of election returns used by the various board of canvassers created in what was the most chaotic counting of votes in Cebu last May.
Until now, the legal battle over the fourth district congressional fight continues. Salimbangon’s opponent, the Martinez family who ruled the district for decades, has made legal moves against the new congressman. (JPM)
