Sunday, March 02, 2008 2T teachers who served in polls have yet to receive honorarium
AT least 2,000 public school teachers who served as receiving committees during the extension of the registration for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election last year have not yet received their honoraria totaling over P2 million.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec), along with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the National Youth Commission, and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), agreed to allocate 10 percent of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) and the remaining balance of the youth council for the payment of the honoraria of the teachers.
They came up with the agreement after a meeting last Jan. 31 and discussed the payment of the teachers’ honoraria.
Extension
Cebu provincial election supervisor Marco Lionel Castillano said there are 2,344 public school teachers who are still waiting for their honoraria.
During the extension of the SK registration last year, these teachers were each paid P800.
In his memorandum, Bartolome Sinocruz Jr., the Comelec deputy executive director for operations, said the honoraria of the teachers shall be coursed through the city or the municipal treasurer.
Sinocruz said the available balance of the SK registration appropriations is only P13,932,600 as of Feb. 20, 2008.
The unpaid honoraria of the teachers, however, reached P91,201,000.
Sinocruz has recommended to the Comelec en banc a 10-90 percent sharing between the Comelec and the city or municipal treasurer.
10 percent
This means the Comelec will pay 10 percent of the total amount of the teachers’ honoraria while the 90 percent shall be paid by the city or municipal treasurer, chargeable against the 10 percent IRA share of the SK.
The Comelec is still finalizing a resolution approving such agreement and authorizing the treasurer to pay the honoraria.
“Once promulgated, the commission shall promptly authorize the release of the Comelec funds to the treasurer to enable them to immediately make the payments to all the members of the receiving committees,” Sinocruz said in his memo.
The memo was sent to all regional election directors, provincial election supervisors and election officers. Castillano said the Comelec will probably issue a resolution this month. (GMD)
