Voters look their names at the voters' lists outside the voting center at the Iligan City National High School (ICNHS). |
Iligan City - Some reactions from teachers didn’t know the new law on ESRA, the Republic Act 10756,
otherwise known as the Election Service Reform Act (ESRA). This law is to
address the problem on the ineffectiveness of the election service during
elections.
The Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs) network nationwide headed by the Legal Network for Truthful
Elections (LENTE) based in Quezon City, conducted the nationwide survey with its network non-government organizations (NGOs) on the
new law during the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. The ESRA
was approved into law in 2015. The purpose of the survey is to strengthen the
said law to be more effective and responsive in the next succeeding elections.
At left, Mr. Rex Razo, School principal, ICNHS |
The ESRA was conceptualized by
the LENTE in 2013 to address the concerns of teachers to serve as poll workers
to ensure the proper conduct of the elections. Mr. Rex Razo, School principal of Iligan City National High School (ICNHS) said that they informed the teachers who wish to serve the elections. He said the conduct of the Barangay and SK Elections 2018 at ICNHS is relatively peaceful.
In past decade elections was
like a public market selling goods meaning rampant vote buying within and outside
the polling place giving sample ballots to the voters when entering to the
polling precincts.
Barangay elections was the
most crucial and critical elections than the local, midterm and national
elections because it’s a personalize elections even relatives are opponents in
running for barangay elections and some personal issues become political
issues.
In areas considered hotspots with
absence of law enforcements, some cases the candidates will engage on shooting
to defend their position of winning the elections at all costs. That’s why teachers
will not serve as poll workers during elections especially in hotspots areas
for safety reasons.
Voters look names at Iligan City Central School lists |
Some teachers will not serve
due to meager budget on allowances with less benefits. others learned a lesson
that their allowances will not be released in due time. In the new law public
school teachers are no longer compulsory to serve during elections but they are
still priority and preference by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) if they
are willing to serve during elections.
In the same law, as soon as
the public school teachers will not serve as poll workers during elections, an
order of next priority to serve are allowed in the said law, first, is the
private school teachers; national government employees such as the non-teaching
personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd), other national government
officials and employees holding regular or permanent positions, excluding
uniformed personnel of the Department of National Defense and all its attached
agencies; members of the commission-accredited citizen arms or other CSOs and
NGOs duly accredited by the commission; and any registered voter of the city or
municipality of known integrity and competence who is not connected with any
candidate and political party. Teachers and other interested persons are prohibited to serve in the Election with relations to the candidates up to the 4th civil degree of affinity or consanguinity.
In cases where the peace and
order situation requires as determined by the commission and where there are no
qualified voters willing to serve, uniformed personnel of the Philippine National
Police shall be deputized to render election service as a last resort.
The persons rendering election
service shall be entitled with honoraria and allowances including other benefits. The
chairperson of the Election boards shall receive an honoraria of PhP6,000.00;
the members of the electoral boards PhP5,000.00; the department of Education
Supervisor Official shall receive 4,000.00; and the support staff shall receive
PhP2,000.00; All of them are entitled an additional travel allowance of
PhP1,000.00. Such honoraria and allowances shall be given within 15 days from
the date of the Election otherwise it is considered an election offense. A minimum of five (5) days service credits
shall accrue to all persons rendering election service including legal
assistance, medical and death benefits for election related risks to be drawn
from the trust fund.
Most of the reports in 2018
Barangay Elections whose names of voters were not found in the lists of voters
at poll precincts but can be found in the lists of the Parish Pastoral Council
for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and at the Comelec office. The Board of Election
Tellers composed of chairman and two members will not allow the person to vote
without their names in the official list of voters.
The Senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and pregnant women hardly voted during the elections because some of them found their poll precincts at the 2nd floor of the two-story building. They suggested to have their poll precincts at the ground floor.
There were also reported cases
that a barangay Treasurer and Secretary were allegedly caught campaigning inside
the polling place in favor of their re-electionist incumbent Barangay chairman in
Barangay Poblacion this city, a potential violations of the election law that
might be a reason for disqualification of a certain candidate.
Mayor Jabar Tago of Pantar,
Lanao del Norte with his relatives was reportedly caught by the Military
confiscated nine high powered firearms, five shotguns and a short firearm pistol
with assorted ammunitions found in their family compound in the said municipality
without any incidents of firefight.
The 2018 Barangay and SK
elections in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte was generally
peaceful. (by Jun Enriquez, photos by Salve Gimena).
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