Lawmaker Pushes for Higher Honoraria for Election Workers

A LAWMAKER on Tuesday pushed for higher honoraria for teachers and other election workers, saying their compensation should reflect the long hours and difficult conditions they face during elections. In a statement, Party-list Rep. Antonio L. Tinio pressed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to formally commit to increasing the honoraria of election workers during the poll body’s 2027 budget deliberations before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. Teachers’ honoraria should be increased regardless of whether the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled for November would push through, he said, noting that any postponement would not remove the need for fair compensation. “Whether or not the barangay elections push through, the issue of teachers’ honoraria will remain on the table,” he said. “If the elections are postponed, the demand for just compensation for our teachers does not disappear.” The proposed increase should be funded in the 2027 budget, he said, adding that teachers perform election duties far beyond an ordinary workday. He urged Comelec to formally submit its data and position paper on the proposed increase to the House committees to determine the exact funding needed. “We in the minority will ensure this commitment is honored,” the lawmaker said. “Our teachers have long shouldered the burden of elections — the least the government can do is pay them fairly for it.” — Pexcel John Bacon