malaysiangThe Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Legazpi City on Monday started to pay the honorarium of 1,400 teachers and non-teaching personnel who served in last week’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE). In an interview, lawyer Connie del Castillo, Legazpi City election officer, said the poll body is mandated under the law to pay the poll workers 15 days after the election or until Nov. 14. “They are all the poll workers for the 70 barangays in Legazpi City. The chairman of the electoral board will receive PHP10,000 while its members will receive PHP9,000 each. Both are subject to tax,” she said. She said they scheduled the payment from Monday until Wednesday (Nov. 8) at the 3rd floor of SM City Legazpi which was also designated as a mall voting area in the Oct. 30 BSKE. “We are very thankful to all the teachers, non-teaching, support staff, uniformed personnel, and all stakeholders who supported the 2023 BSKE,” del Castillo said. She said the poll workers include members of the Electoral Board, Barangay Board of Canvassers, Special Polling Place Electoral Board, or those who served in the different detention facilities, support staff for the emergency accessible polling place, and Department of Education supervisor. Meanwhile, the Comelec official also reminded all the candidates to submit their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE). “There is a prescribed form for SOCE that is downloadable, and they also need to submit a soft copy. We encourage them to visit our office or our website. In our office, we printed a tarpaulin-size (poster) indicating the steps or procedures to follow on how to comply with the required SOCE,” she said. Section 14 of Republic Act 7166, or the Synchronized National and Local Elections and Electoral Reforms Act, stipulates that candidates should file their SOCE within 30 days after the day of the elections. Failure to file the SOCE with the Comelec precludes elected officials from assuming official duties.
Source: Philippines News Agency
