IT’S all systems go as the Department of Education (DepEd), together with other government agencies, deploys personnel trained for an orderly and peaceful conduct of the 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
Undersecretary for Administration Alain del Pascua said some DepEd personnel will volunteer to render poll duties on May 14.
He also highlighted the efforts of the Department to ensure the safety of teachers during the National Day of Prayer, Declaration of the State of Readiness, and signing of memoranda of agreement (MOA) held on May 7, at the Philippine National Police Multi-Purpose Hall, Camp Crame in Quezon City.
“We are ready for the May 14 elections. More than 300 DepEd personnel and officials will give support to our teachers who will serve in the local elections, through our Election Task Force [ETF] and Monitoring Center,” Pascua said.
“This task force will be set up in every region, not only in the Central Office, to make sure we give our teachers enough information and technical and legal assistance when necessary,” he added.
The DepEd ETF and Monitoring Center will be reactivated from May 13 to 15 at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd-Central Office in Pasig City. Likewise, regional and division offices are encouraged to set up their respective ETF and monitoring centers.
During the same event, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and DepEd signed the MOA which aims to protect and promote the welfare of DepEd personnel on the conduct of local elections, and to ensure that the law, in regard to their honoraria, allowances, and other benefits, is properly observed.
Recently, Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones appealed to the Comelec that teachers who opt to render their time, energy, and safety to ensure the integrity of the ballot must not be encumbered by tax on their meager allowance.
Also, PNP chief Director General Oscar D. Albayalde announced that they will also put up a national task force which will provide “strategic directions to all police operations with regard to all election related programs and activities.”