A party-list solon is supporting the full automation of election process to free fellow teachers from election duties.
Rep. Eulogio “Amang” R. Magsaysay of the Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE) Party-list said that using an automated system in the election process will allow teachers to render voluntary and not mandatory service during elections.
“I believe that once we adopt an automated system in the conduct of the next elections, it will not be hard for us to take our teachers out of their election duties in the future,” he said following the passage of Senate Bill 2231 or the Automated Election System Act of 2006. With the use of automated machines, “we will need fewer teachers to man the polls and therefore, we can make it voluntary and no longer mandatory.”
The lawmaker expressed his concern on how teachers will still play major roles to safeguard the entire election process. Unlike the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that has recently been given limited participation during elections to prevent them from being used in election irregularities, teachers are yet to be freed from their full involvement.
“We have long been lobbying against the exploitation of teachers during elections,” the lawmaker said. He is co-authorship bills on making teachers render voluntary and not mandatory duties during elections such as House Bill 2864, “An Act to Help Improve the Quality of Education in the Country by Allowing Public School Teachers to Concentrate on their Teaching Duties.” The bill would amend Section 13 of Republic Act No.6646,’ The Election Reform Act of 198.”
Under HB 2864, instead of giving the membership of the Board of Election Inspectors solely to public teachers, citizens from civic, youth, professional, educational, business, labor, etc. shall be designated by COMELEC. This way, citizens, regardless of their professions, share equal burden of ensuring free, orderly elections, therefore, reducing the election duties of teachers.
House Bill 2898, “An Act Disengaging Public School Teachers from Compulsory Election Duties,” amends Section. 13 of R.A. 6646, to make it read as follows "Public school teachers who are willing to perform election duties shall be given preference in the appointment of members of the board."
Magsaysay cited many instances where the lives of teachers have been put in danger in doing their poll duties.
“Aside from the physical and mental fatigue our teachers have to endure during elections, they become subject of various forms of harassments from politicians and their supporters,” he said. “Unlike the military who have their guns and bullets to protect them against the perils of looking after the ballots, educators, teachers, in particular, only have chalk and blackboards since their main purpose is to teach. How do you expect them to defend themselves from such threats?”
Magsaysay, however, admitted that under the Omnibus Election Code, it is still the legal mandate of public school teachers to render service during elections. That is why according to him the government should study the possibility of making this service voluntary and not mandatory.
Magsaysay also pushed for the immediate release of their allowance. “As teachers, their salaries are not enough to support their daily living; that is why most of them have no choice but to really serve during elections.”
With the danger confronting teachers, government should give them additional insurance coverage aside from the security personnel provided to them every time they serve in election, the lawmaker added.
