The Alliance of Concerned Teachers said at least 25,000 teachers would boycott the barangay elections because of the meager allowance.
Main story: ‘Teachers impoverished, neglected’
Related story: Teaching is her life, passion, commitment
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Not only do teachers teach and hone the future of the nation, they also play a key role in democracy: the serve during elections.
Teachers put their lives are at stake during local and national elections. This is why the ACT Teachers’ Party is not only pushing for an upgrade in salaries of teachers and non-teaching personnel; it is also pushing for an increase in the honorarium for election service, and hopes to pass a law to cover this.
During the May 2013 mid-term elections, public school teachers serving as board of election tellers (BET) received a measly P2,000 ($46) and an additional P500 ($12) for transportation allowance.
In a report, at least 700 teachers already backed out from serving in the upcoming barangay elections to be held on Oct. 28 due to security reasons. The report said the Comelec is trying to resolve the problem. Teachers who backed out are from Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Salipada K. Pendantun, Shariff Aqguak, Saidona Mustapham Datu Piang and Datu Abdullah Sangki.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers said at least 25,000 teachers would boycott the barangay elections because of the meager allowance.
In a TV interview Benjie Valbuena, national chairman of Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), said serving in the elections is an added burden to the teachers. He said the barangay election is the most chaotic, even more than national elections. “In barangay elections, teachers are closely watched by local politicians. When they commit even a slight mistake, politicians will immediately complain,” Valbuena said.
“They tell us that there is no budget. But the huge amount allotted for the President’s pork shows that there is a budget for this if the government prioritizes it,” France Castro said in a protest action on Oct. 4, Friday, eve of the World Teachers’ day. 
