THE COMMISSION on Elections said that the Commission on Audit will have to approve the early release of the honoraria of teachers who will serve during elections.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia issued the statement in response to the call made by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte to advance the poll payment of teachers.

Garcia said that there have been instances wherein they paid teachers in advance but some failed to serve on election day.

“Kapag nagkaganoon kinakailangan ibalik lahat ng nai-advance namin na ‘yun. Alam n’yo naman sa pamahalaan lalong-lalo na sa isyu ng budgeting, accounting mukhang hindi basta-basta pinapayagan ‘yung advanced payment sa mga services. Dapat po maglingkod po muna pagkatapos saka ‘yung bayad,” he said.

“As far as the Comelec is concerned, we can always do anything para lang sa ikabubuti ng ating mga guro. Kaya lang po, muli, ginawa na po namin yan dati. Nag-advance ng 50 percent, kaya lang po maraming mga guro dahil tinakot dahil sa kung ano mang kadahilanan hindi nag report sa araw ng election at nagkaroon ng problema lalo na sa COA,” he explained.