The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) this morning held a dialogue with a group of teachers who are complaining of delayed payment for their poll duties. Acting Commission on Elections Chairman Resurreccion Z. Borra has assured the teachers that the poll body "understands" their situation and that they are ready to assist them.

"Public school teachers play a crucial role in every electoral exercise conducted in the country. That is why the COMELEC is helping them in any way we can" Borra said in a dialogue this morning with teachers belonging to the Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC).

However, Borra told the TDC that the issue of delayed payment is not on the poll body's hands anymore explaining that all the funds were already released by the COMELEC to Municipal and City Treasurers.

In a Memorandum of Agreement between the COMELEC and the Department of Education, it is specified that half of the teachers' honorarium will be paid upon getting the election paraphernalia from the Treasurers concerned and the other half upon return of the ballot box with the other election paraphernalia.

The acting COMELEC chief also noted that the poll body "understands fully the sacrifice given by our teachers every elections" this is why he said he asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to increase the teachers' pay from P1,000 each to P3,000. However, this request was turned down by the DBM citing "funding constraint." What was approved, Borra said, is the additional P500 to cover the transportation allowances of teachers.

Upon hearing the poll body's side, TDC President Benjo Basas said they are "satisfied with the COMELEC explanation". Likewise, Basas stated that they are "very satisfied with the COMELEC's readiness to assist teachers."

However, as to the teachers demand for "voluntary election duty", Borra said public school teachers' mandatory service during election day is enshrined in the Constitution. "So long as it is enshrined in the fundamental law of the land, we can't do anything about it" Borra said.