PAY THE TEACHERS, ROXAS TELLS DoF

Senator Mar Roxas urged the Department of Finance to immediately order the release of payments to thousands of public school teachers who rendered poll duty in the May elections.

Roxas issued his call upon verifying that a huge number of teachers have yet to be fully compensated for their service. The Teachers Organization for the Philippine Public Sector, a member organization of the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation informed the senator that several of their members have yet to receive the P3,000 honorarium plus P300 transportation allowance promised them by the government.

In some areas, public school teachers have received only partial payments without any explanation as to why the balance is delayed while in other parts of the country, our teachers have yet to receive due compensation, Senator Roxas noted.

The senator said such delays are inexcusable given the enormous risks and difficulties faced by public school teachers in performing electoral work. Eleven days after Election Day and less than two weeks to go before the opening of classes, our teachers are still waiting for their pay as election canvassers and inspectors. Promises made on prompt delivery of payments have once again been proven empty, the senator pointed out.

Senator Roxas said the military and police must also ensure the safety of teachers in Mindanao . Their impartiality is key to the success of special elections scheduled in certain areas in Mindanao . Kudos to the different electoral watchdogs like PPCRV, NAMFREL, and LENTE for their heroic efforts to keep the canvassing of votes honest and fair, he added.

Our people will not easily forget the tragedy that befell Teacher Nellie Banaag of Taysan, Batangas. The PNP and AFP must not allow such atrocities to take place and worse, go unpunished. The honor and credibility of their institutions and the entire electoral process are at stake here, the Liberal Party stalwart said.