March 29, 2024

A total of 6,462 teachers will serve as members of the Electoral Board in the 77 municipalities and cities of the Cordillera.

Data provided by Cyrille Gaye Miranda of the Department of Education-Cordillera Public Affairs Office showed the teachers will serve in 1,406 voting centers in the region.

The region has 2,153 clustered precincts with Abra having 395; Apayao, 167; Benguet, 764; Ifugao, 281; Kalinga, 298; and 248 in Mountain Province.

In Abra, there are 1,185 public school teachers who will render election duty; 501 in Apayao; 2,292 in Benguet; 843 in Ifugao; 894 in Kalinga and 747 in Mountain Province.

The figure for Benguet includes those serving in Baguio City.

“There are election task forces (ETF) in the Schools Division Offices that monitor the preparation of schools and ensure that teachers and personnel are provided with adequate information, technical and legal assistance during the performance of their duties as members of the Electoral Board,” Miranda said.

Functions of the ETFs include the maintenance, operation, and monitoring of the center, as well as documenting and reporting all teacher- and school-related issues and concerns before, during, and after the elections.

They will also ensure that teachers are provided with and/or referred to adequate information and technical and legal assistance in the course of the performance of their duties as members of the Electoral Board and will also serve as DepEd institutional link to volunteer organizations and individuals.

She said the ETFs will also provide close horizontal and vertical coordination and consultation among the DepEd, the Commission on Elections, and partner agencies involved in the 2022 national and local elections.

“They will complement other government agencies’ efforts for an honest, orderly, and peaceful conduct of the election,” she said.

Miranda, in a separate message, said they have no data if there are teachers who refused to carry out their poll duties.

During the 2019 midterm elections, 13 police personnel were deployed to man the precincts where the teachers opted to cancel their services for various reasons.

In an earlier press conference, Police Regional Office-Cordillera Chief of Staff, Col. Elmer Ragay, said 20 policemen were trained and are on standby for deployment in case they are needed as members of the Electoral Board. – PNA