THE Department of Education–Davao City Division (DepEd-Davao City) has confirmed that nearly 3,000 teachers are fully prepared to serve as members of the Electoral Board for the upcoming 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE).
DepEd-Davao City Superintendent Reynante Solitario said a total of 3,690 teachers will be serving in the city, with 1,060 of them having already participated in absentee voting.
He added that classrooms designated for polling have been prepared, along with multipurpose halls that will be used for vote counting. Preparations at Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School (Dranhs), where Vice President Sara Duterte is expected to vote, will follow the same protocols. Security for the elections will be managed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Solitario also said that the chair used by former President Rodrigo Duterte during past elections will no longer be displayed and will instead be preserved.
No threats have been reported against any electoral board members so far, Solitario said. However, a dedicated task force has already been formed to respond to potential threats, in coordination with the DepEd regional office. Teachers are encouraged to immediately report any incidents, and lawyers have been deployed to provide legal assistance on the ground if needed.
The number of teachers serving in the 2025 NLE is lower compared to previous elections due to a reduced number of clustered precincts. While many teachers expressed interest in serving, the division could not accommodate all of them based on the guidelines from the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Nonetheless, they remain hopeful more teachers can participate in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in December.
Solitario noted that one of the key motivators for teachers this year is the increased honorarium. Under Comelec Resolution No. 11076, Section 13, teachers are entitled to approximately P2,000 more in honorarium, in addition to 10 days of service credit.
“Daghan kaayo ug (There are so many) interested but we cannot accommodate them all,” he said in a media interview on Friday, May 2, 2025, at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) grounds. RGP