Baguio City: The Department of Education in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DepEd-CAR) announced that all teachers designated for poll duty on May 12 are prepared and committed to fulfill their responsibilities, with no intentions of withdrawal reported.
According to Philippines News Agency, Dr. Estela Cari±o, the regional director of DepEd-CAR, revealed during a press conference at Camp Bado Dangwa that a total of 11,367 personnel from DepEd-CAR will be involved in the election duties. Out of this number, 7,897 are teachers, while the remainder comprises non-teaching staff. Dr. Cari±o emphasized that all assigned teachers have confirmed their participation and no withdrawals have been indicated.
In previous Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), some DepEd personnel withdrew at the last moment due to safety concerns and allegations of partiality towards certain candidates. However, Dr. Cari±o expressed confidence in the current commitment levels of the teachers, attributing it to reassurances provided by the Philippine National Police (PNP) regarding their safety, along with benefits and assurances from DepEd to ensure their well-being.
Furthermore, those who participate in the election duties will receive an incentive for their service. Brig. Gen. David Peredo, the regional director of the Police Regional Office-CAR, disclosed that 170 certified police personnel have been trained to serve as special electoral board members, ready to step in should any teacher decide to withdraw. He assured that there is an adequate number of police personnel prepared to replace any vacating teachers.
