Thursday, November 22, 2007 Comelec readies P1T extra pay
THOSE who served during the Oct. 29 polls will soon receive their additional P1,000 allowance.
Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said the Department of Budget and Management has released the money and the payroll for the members of the Board of Election Tellers (BETs) is now being prepared.
As soon as the payroll is ready, the money will be released through the ATMs of the election officers.
For Cebu, the amount set aside for the BETs is more than P32.7 million.
Cebu City alone has an allocation of more than P7 million, having the highest number of clustered precincts.
Members of the BETs and election officers complained that the DBM only released P1,000 instead of the promised P2,000 for their honorarium.
Demoralized
Demoralized, some teachers said threatened not to serve in future elections.
President Arroyo ordered last week that an additional P1,000 will be released.
The BETs have already received their P1,000 honorarium, P500 transportation allowance and the additional P500 for BETs who were also members of the Barangay Board of Canvassers.
The BETs who are handling precincts with Sangguniang Kabataan voters are also entitled to another P500, but they won’t receive the money yet.
The members of the receiving committee who served during the extension of the SK registration last August didn’t also receive their honorarium as the National Youth Commission (NYC) has yet to release the funds.
Castillano has requested the Comelec head office for a cash advance to pay the members of the receiving team. It will be replenished as soon as the NYC releases the budget.
But his request was turned down because the Commission has no budget for the cash advance.
Cebu needs P2.8 million for the honorarium of the receiving committee.
Cebu Province has 2,344 receiving committees, with two members each for the four-day extension covering 1,203 barangays.
Each member of the receiving committee is entitled to P300 per day as honorarium. (MBG)
