No overtime pay for teachers who worked in BSKE

MANILA, Philippines — Teachers who served as poll workers during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) will not receive overtime pay, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the poll body is restricted from providing extra pay to teachers who performed poll duties beyond 24 hours.

“Inasmuch as we would like to give, there is this joint COA-DBM circular which provides that only employees of an agency are entitled to claim overtime pay,” Garcia said, referring to the Commission on Audit and Department of Budget and Management memo.

“The teachers who served as electoral board members are not employees of Comelec,” Garcia said while adding budget provided to Comelec for the conduct of BSKE does not provide for overtime pay.

Garcia issued the statement in reaction to the call of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) for the Comelec to give overtime pay to teachers who served for more than 24 hours as poll workers.

The group said the honorarium for teachers serving as members of the electoral board (EB) was considered per diem, or a daily allowance, and computed based on three days – three eight-hour shifts – or 24 hours of nonstop work.

The Comelec has raised the honoraria to P10,000 for the EB chair and P9,000 for members. The service honoraria, however, are subject to 20-percent tax deduction.

Garcia said the Comelec hopes to pay the honoraria to all the teachers who served as poll workers by today.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) said yesterday that teachers who rendered services during the BSKE may be entitled to additional service credits.

Responding to reporters through Viber, DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas said teachers who were on duty for more than 24 hours last BSKE “could be given additional service credits on top of the five days service credits.”

Under Comelec Resolution No. 10933 dated June 21, 2023, teachers who work as election officers shall be automatically entitled to five days of service credits.

Bringas, however, said that while not convertible to cash, the additional service credits that may be given to teachers who rendered services beyond 24 hours