THE Department of Education in Davao Region (DepEd-Davao) is calling on voters and poll watchers to show patience and respect toward the electoral board (EB) members during the upcoming 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE).
Jenielito “Dodong” Atillo, spokesperson for DepEd-Davao, emphasized that harassment of EB members—most of whom are teachers—is unacceptable, especially in cases when automated counting machines (ACMs) malfunction. Speaking at the Kapehan sa PIA forum on Friday, May 9, at NCCC Mall Victoria Plaza, Atillo called such behavior “very inhumane” and urged the public to treat EB members with the respect they deserve.
“Let me reiterate: please give full respect to our electoral board members. They are the ones manning the polling precincts. They deserve that respect,” he said.
Atillo also assured that DepEd-Davao is fully prepared for NLE 2025. Over 12,000 teachers have been trained and will be deployed throughout the region. This includes electoral board members, DepEd supervisor officials, and members of the Board of Canvassers. These personnel will oversee the operations in more than 22,000 precincts and over 4,000 clustered precincts. He added that the designated polling centers—mostly schools—are clean, secure, and ready for use, with police personnel already deployed to ensure safety.
Joining the call for calm was Atty. Aileen Lizada, spokesperson for the Archdiocesan Commission on Elections Monitoring–Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (ACE-COM PPCRV). She reminded watchers to refrain from heckling EB members during technical issues, pointing out that they are simply following protocols and instructions given during their training.
“So hangyu lang naku if naay concerns, because the electoral board, they went also certain orientations, so tao rin sila (My request is, if there are concerns, please understand that the electoral board members are human too)," Lizada said. "Meron na sila ginabasa, mas lalo siya mangurog kung away-awayon pa ninyu so papano siya mag follow ng instructions (They’ve undergone orientations, they’re reading and following instructions. If they’re being harassed, they’ll get even more nervous, which can affect how well they do their jobs),” she said.
The Commission on Elections-Davao Region (Comelec-Davao) also echoed the reminder. Assistant Regional Director Atty. Gay Enumerables clarified that watchers, particularly those hired by candidates or political parties, are only allowed to observe the proceedings. Their duties may include taking photographs of the process, but they are not permitted to interfere. If watchers have objections, these must be raised properly. Otherwise, EB members have the full authority to remove them from the precinct.
Police authorities are also preparing for the electoral process. Police Major Catherine Dela Rey, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office-Davao Region (PRO-Davao), urged volunteers and political supporters to document any suspected anomalies by taking photos or videos and filing formal complaints, rather than disrupting the polling process.
“Sa mga volunteers, sa mga politiko hinaot unta patient mo mahinahon unta permente sa whole process para mahimong peacegful ang pagahimuon nga national and local elections (To the volunteers and political supporters, we hope you remain patient and calm throughout the entire election process. This is key to ensuring peaceful and orderly national and local elections),” she said.
Dela Rey warned that any form of violence inside polling centers could result in criminal charges, depending on the nature of the offense. Damaging property could lead to charges of property damage, while physically hurting someone could lead to a case of physical injury. She encouraged everyone involved to stay composed to avoid unnecessary conflict.
As the elections approach, both education and law enforcement officials reaffirmed that their teams are ready. With teachers trained, schools prepared, and police deployed, the call is now on the public to do its part: to remain calm, respectful, and vigilant. RGP