Skip to content

Philippines Today

home of the Global Filipino

Menu
  • News Stories
  • Regional News
  • Business & Economy
  • Science & Technology
  • International
Menu

Bill makes election service voluntary for teachers and other citizens

Posted on September 10, 2013

MANILA, (PNA) — ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio L. Tinio has filed a bill that makes election service voluntary for public school teachers and other motivated and civil-minded citizens as well.

House Bill 444 provides that public school teachers, private school teachers, government employees and citizens of known probity and competence who are registered voters of the city or municipality may volunteer to serve on election day.

It seeks to amend Section 13 of Republic Act 6656 otherwise known as The Electoral Reforms Law of 1987, which mandates public school teachers to render poll service during election period as members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs).

Under Tinio’s bill, Section 13 of RA 6646 shall read as follows: “Section 13. Board of Election Inspectors – The Board of Inspectors to be constituted by the Commission (Comelec) under Section 164 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 shall be composed of a chairman and two members, one of whom shall be designated as poll clerk, all of whom shall be volunteers who are registered voters of the city or municipality where they wish to serve on election day, in accordance with the following order of preference: 1) Public School teachers; 2) Private School teacher; 3) Employees in the government; or 4) Citizens of known probity and competence.”

“Time and again, the success of national and local elections is rightfully attributed to the competence and hard work of teachers. All too often, teachers on election duty have made personal sacrifices over and above the call of duty,” Tinio said.

Tinio recalled that in the 1995 elections, teacher Filomena Tatlonghari was shot and killed in Mabini, Batangas, for refusing to surrender a ballot box to armed men. In the 2007 polls, teacher Nelly Banaag died protecting ballots after masked armed men torched two classrooms which served as polling precincts in Taysan, Batangas.

“In the 2010 national and barangay elections, many more unsung heroes faced tremendous odds just to ensure the people’s votes are kept safe,” Tinio added.

Tinio said “mandatory election duty has long been additional burden borne by public school teachers, who are already hard-pressed to provide quality education to our youth, in the face of low pay and difficult working conditions.”

“In order to alleviate their plight, teachers must be given the freedom to choose whether or not they want to fulfill the roles of the BEI,” he said.

Tinio stressed election service is an essential civic duty that should be made available to all concerned citizens and not just to teachers.

“The appointment of members to the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) from among the ranks of motivated, civic-minded volunteers will provide greater opportunities for people’s participation in the electoral processes under our democratic system,” Tinio said.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Related

News Categories

  • Announcement (34)
  • Business & Economy (1,567)
  • Comment and Opinion (74)
    • Random Thoughts (18)
  • Current Issues (425)
    • Charter Change (1)
    • Election (228)
    • Population (6)
  • International (389)
  • Life In Japan (66)
    • Everything Japan (41)
  • Literary (34)
  • Miscellaneous (610)
  • News Stories (5,312)
  • OFW Corner (297)
  • Others (75)
  • People (408)
  • Press Releases (163)
  • Regional News (3,362)
  • Science and Technology (502)
  • Sports & Entertainment (287)

Latest News

  • BSP keeps policy rates anew December 17, 2015
  • NEDA cuts PHL additional rice import for 2016 by 25% December 17, 2015
  • DA cites serious implications of banning genetically modified products December 17, 2015
  • BBL is not yet dead – Drilon December 17, 2015
  • Comelec recognizes Duterte’s CoC for president December 17, 2015
  • NEDA chief sees 2015 growth at 6% despite typhoons December 17, 2015
  • House of Representatives ratifies bicam report on P3.002-T national budget for 2016 December 17, 2015
  • Cebu-based developer invests PHP430M to build 709 townhouse units in north Cebu town December 17, 2015
  • City gov’t eyes P75-M income from economic enterprise December 17, 2015
  • Baguio City LGU presents traffic plan for holiday season December 17, 2015

Archives

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Science and Technology

  • DOST-ICTO targets 500,000 web-based workers from countryside by 2016
  • (Feature) STARBOOKS: A ‘makeover’ for librarians
  • Science, research reduce ‘cocolisap’ hotspot areas in PHL
  • Montejo to further improve PAGASA and empower scientists
  • 1st PPP in biomedical research produces knee replacement system fit for Asians

Press Releases

  • Microsoft to buy Nokia’s mobile devices business for 5.44-B euros
  • New World Bank climate change report should spur SEA and world leaders into action: Greenpeace
  • Save the Philippine Seas before it’s too late — Greenpeace
  • Palanca Awards’ last call for entries
  • Philippines joins the global call for Arctic protection

Comment and Opinion

  • Remembering the dead is a celebration of life
  • Killer earthquake unlikely to hit Panay Island in near future – analyst
  • It’s not just more fun to invest in the Philippines, it is also profitable, says President Aquino
  • How does one differentiate a tamaraw from a carabao?
  • Fun is not just about the place, it is also about the people, says DOT chief

OFW Corner

  • Ebola infection risk low in Croatia
  • Death toll rises to 41, over 100 still missing in landslide in India
  • Asbestos use in construction a labor hazard
  • 500,000 OFWs to benefit POEA on-line transactions — Baldoz
  • 25 distressed OFWs return home from Riyadh
©2025 Philippines Today | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme