DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 23 April) — A total of 12,411 teachers will be deployed across the Davao Region to serve in various capacities during the upcoming May 12, 2025 national and local elections.
Jenielito Atillo, spokesperson of the Department of Education- Region XI (DepEd-XI), said in a press conference Wednesday at the Royal Mandaya Hotel that the deployment includes 11,132 teachers who will serve as members of the electoral board, 1,136 as DepEd supervisor officials, and 143 as members of the Board of Canvassers.
These teachers will be stationed in polling precincts throughout the region, which covers 11 schools division offices from Davao Occidental to Davao Oriental.
Atillo urged voters to respect teachers’ authority inside voting precincts, citing past incidents of verbal abuse and improper conduct toward electoral board members.
“They are deputized by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), and they are empowered to act in accordance with policy when incidents arise,” Atillo said, pertaining to the teacher-volunteers come election time.
In line with the electoral boards’ potential harm and how to address it, the spokesperson emphasized that there are now legal support mechanisms now available to teachers, courtesy of the memorandum of agreement signed on Tuesday by DepEd, the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
The MOA ensures that teachers receive assistance if legal issues arise from their election duties.
Atillo added that teachers serving on electoral boards were assured to receive honoraria ranging from ₱8,000 to ₱12,000, depending on their role.
Supervising officials and support staff will receive between ₱8,000 and ₱11,000.
Additionally, all participating DepEd personnel will be granted a minimum of five days of service credit.
Teachers assigned to electoral duties have already undergone a series of trainings and orientations conducted by Comelec, ensuring that they are prepared both theoretically and practically.
The majority of these teachers have served in previous elections, while the new teachers were selected based on their qualifications and absence of legal or political affiliations.
“Please know that unlike the other elections that teachers now are given the prerogative to decide whether to serve or not,” Atillo said.
Meanwhile, Davao City Police Office spokesperson Hazel Caballero-Tuazon said that as of the moment, there have been no untoward incidents reported leading to the May 12 local and mid-term elections in the city.
“As per the statement given by our Acting City Director, Police Colonel Hansel Marantan, the station commanders need to be there at the stations just in case there are problems. The police will be ready to pacify any conflict,” Tuazon said in Cebuano. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)