THE MINISTRY of Basic, Higher and Technical Education launched its 2022 Election Task Force to ensure orderly and credible elections on May 9.

In a statement on Wednesday, MBHTE-BARMM chief Mohagher Iqbal said the creation of the task force is in compliance with the Department of Education’s call for the establishment of the 2022 DepEd Election Task Force in regional, provincial and city schools division levels.

“Let us stay neutral, remember that you have a right to choose your candidates, and just stick to the law and principle for us to have a clean, peaceful, and transparent in the near 2022 election,” Iqbal said.

“This launching is part of the memorandum between MBHTE and Commission on Elections to ensure the security and safety of our teachers who will serve for the upcoming 2022 election,” he added.

Iqbal noted that the task force will ensure that all MBHTE personnel are provided with adequate information, technical support and legal assistance amid their duties as members of electoral boards on May 9 polls.

The task force will be composed of five groups or units: steering group, operations and legal support group, secretariat, call center monitoring data base unit and logistics and external coordination mobile unit.

“MBHTE legal officials oriented the task force on constitutional provisions, laws, and jurisprudence on electioneering and political partisan activity; participation and preparations for the 2022 polls; and political neutrality and learner’s participation in political partisan activity,” Iqbal said.

Meanwhile, MBHTE Attorney IV Hamida Mantikayan reminded teachers and electoral board members that they are prohibited “to wear any election paraphernalia, give financial contributions for the benefit of a candidate or party, be a delegate to any political convention, and form groups or organizations for the purpose of soliciting votes.”

In March, the DepEd created an Election Task Force Operation and Monitoring Center to assist public school teachers and personnel with their duties during the Eleksyon 2022.