Sunday, February 04, 2007
Poll body aims for 900T election inspectors
AS SHORTAGE of teachers serving as members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) for the May 14 elections looms, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now looking at some options to complete the needed 900,000 teachers.
Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. said they are studying the possibility of tapping the students from the Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC) to augment the shortage of BEIs.
"We are thinking in of tapping the ROTC students in urban areas but these would have to be decided in the en banc," Abalos said.
He said for 250,000 precincts nationwide, the commission would need about 900,000 teachers but the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) during their recent meeting stressed that they could only field 470,000 public school teachers.
"So we will have to look for other source of BEIs," the Comelec chief said.
If the ROTC students would not be fitted to serve as BEIs, Abalos said they might still tap them to assist in ensuring security in the election precincts. "So instead of having the policemen, we will have the ROTC students to man the election precincts," he added.
ACT chairman Antonio Tinio earlier demanded for a much higher compensation for teachers serving as BEIs due to the danger they would have to face during election period.
The teachers are asking to double the P1,000 agreed stipend per day to P2,000 for three days plus an insurance coverage of P500,000 and transportation allowance. They are also seeking 10 days leave credits instead of the five days initially approved.
But Abalos said while they would want to give the demand of the teachers to a much higher compensation, he could not do so because there is no allocation for this.
A total of P230 million budget was allocated by the budget department for the teachers' transportation allowance. (MSN/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (February 4, 2007 issue)
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