SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday expressed hope that all those who served in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections have received their remuneration now that the winners have been proclaimed.

As of Friday, the Commission on Elections said that 99,801 members of the Electoral Board have been paid, which is only 16.5 percent of the 605,379 total EB members who rendered poll duty.

Gatchalian thanked teachers and non-teachers who served in this year’s polls and reiterated his call to exclude poll workers pay, travel allowances, and other benefits from income tax.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng ating mga guro at kawani sa napakahalagang papel nila upang tiyakin ang tagumpay at kaayusan ng barangay at SK elections. Kaya tungkulin ng gobyerno na tiyaking matatanggap nila agad at buo ang kanilang mga sahod at benepisyo,” the senator said.

In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, over 1,200 policemen served in place of teachers who begged off from poll duties due to security concerns.

The Commission on Elections said that poll workers’ allowances and benefits increased this year.

The chairman of the electoral board received P10,000 from P6,000, while members’ pay increased from 5,000 to P9,000.

The Department of Education said that teachers are entitled to medical benefits and personal accident insurance coverage, which can be availed through the Government Service Insurance System.