VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte recommended to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to pay teachers in advance for their service during polls.

“We owe it to them to ensure the safe and credible conduct of vote canvassing. Baka naman, sa amin lang from the Department of Education (DepEd), mauna ‘yung bayad sa mga teachers namin bago ang election,” Duterte said before Comelec stakeholders at the 2023 National Election Summit at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza here.

She said public school teachers who spend long and tedious hours in polling precincts have been requesting advance and proper compensation.

“Of course, bumabiyahe sila, kumakain sila, and may gastusin din sila during the days na they are serving the country. Baka lang i-advance, or it can be a consideration, or plan for future elections na mauna ‘yung payments or ‘yung compensation para sa ating mga teachers,” she added.

Duterte also called on the poll body to ensure the safety of the teachers serving during elections.

“Minsan, ang mga guro ay tinatakot ng mga mga warlord politicians at ginagawang kasangkapan sa kanilang pandaraya,” Duterte said, adding that these incidents usually happen in remote areas known to be controlled by politicians’ private armies.

“Alam natin na mahirap kalaban ang mga warlords na may private army. Pero kailangan nating ipakita na mas mahirap pong kalaban ang mga taong gobyerno katulad ng mga pulis at mga sundalo because they represent the government,” she said.

The Vice President also said the electoral process can move to something better than shading or writing on the ballots, suggesting technological processes such as fingerprints, face, and eye scanning to ensure the validity of the people’s votes.

Duterte lauded the Comelec for conducting the National Election Summit as an avenue for discussions on improving the electoral process in the country.

“I am truly happy that there is this summit that is led by the Commission on Elections to discuss how we can improve this democratic process so that the will of the people is clear, and the choice of the people is the one who is declared the winner,” Duterte said.

“We are very hopeful and optimistic for the commissioners and chairman of the Commission on Elections that there will be an election coming up this year, in the next two years, in the next three years, and the several years to come, na hindi na natin makikita kung ano ‘yung mga problema na nakikita natin ngayon dahil nabigyan natin ng solusyon dahil mayroon tayong summit na ginagawa where we listen to our stakeholders, and we sincerely look for solutions to the problems,” she added.

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Arlene Rivera