THE TEACHERS’ Dignity Coalition thanked the Department of Education and Commission on Elections for recognizing the legitimacy of its call to give overtime pay to teachers and employees who performed electoral duties beyond prescribed working hours in the recently concluded elections.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa Comelec at maging sa DepEd sa pagtugon sa aming panawagan para sa additional compensation o overtime pay sa mga nag-extend ng kanilang trabaho noong eleksiyon,” TDC Chairman Benjo Basas said.

“At bagaman hindi inaprubahan ang hinihingi ng DepEd na karagdagang allowance na P3,000, hindi na rin masama ang ibibigay ng Comelec na P2,000 sapagkat patunay lamang ito na makatuwiran, makatarungan at naaayon sa batas ang aming hinihingi,” he added.

On May 12, the TDC sent separate letters to Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan requesting the immediate processing of overtime pay and to DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones to support their request.

“The honoraria for poll workers were previously stated as per diem and computed at 3 days or 24 hours of non-stop work (especially in manual elections). However, many of our teachers have worked beyond 24 hours and are thus, entitled to overtime pay. This claim is even supported by the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, a portion of Section 14 of said law explicitly states that ‘The agencies utilizing the services of teachers shall pay the additional compensation required under this section. Education authorities shall refuse to allow the rendition of services of teachers for other government agencies without the assurance that the teachers shall be paid the remuneration provided for under this section,” Basas said in the letter.

Comelec Commissioner George Garcia has confirmed that the poll body approved the granting of P2,000 additional allowance to all the teachers and poll workers who extended their election tasks beyond prescribed hours.

“Wala pa rin ‘yung ilang detalye pero halos natitiyak na po natin ito. Hintayin na lang natin ang resolution,” Basas said.