More service credits for teachers, gov’t personnel serving in May polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has approved a proposal to increase to 10 days the service credits of teachers and government employees who will serve as election inspectors, supervisors and support staff in the May 12 midterm polls.

In Minute Resolution No. 24-1032, which was adopted on Dec. 16 last year and made public only on Tuesday, the Comelec en banc approved the proposal, which came from its law department, noting that Republic Act No. 10276, or the 2016 Election Service Reform Act, set at only five days the “minimum” number of service credits that may be granted to teachers and other government employees serving in polls.

The Comelec earlier announced plans to increase the service credits in recognition of their sacrifices and as additional compensation for the work they render.

The poll body’s law department also recommended that Comelec officials talk to the Department of Education (DepEd) and Civil Service Commission (CSC) to address and clarify concerns about the proposal.

Under CSC and DepEd guidelines, service credits take the form of vacation leaves, which can be availed of by a teacher or government employee. These can also be used to offset absences because of illness or proportional deductions in vacation pay due to absences for personal reasons.

The Comelec also announced on Tuesday that three senatorial candidates and 12 party list groups have been formally informed that they have only until March 7 to comply with its resolution to register their online campaign platforms.

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Noncompliance and/or inaction shall be treated as a waiver to comply with the poll body’s guidelines, it stressed, meaning the candidate or party list group would not be able to use digital platforms and social media for their campaigns.

The deadline to register was on Dec. 13 last year. The Comelec said that of last week, only 29 senatorial candidates out of 66, and 85 party list groups out of 155 have fully complied with its registration rules and requirements for online campaign platforms.