The majority of the country's poll workers are teachers, and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking to increase the honorarium given to them.

"We can just increase, for example, the allowance or honoraria that we give them, especially if we have a budget for that. Instead of the excess budget being used for whatever purpose, we will just give them to teachers or other workers that serve during elections," Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said in a Laging Handa briefing.

Garcia said another option is to increase the honorarium for workers undergoing poll duty training.

"Kung sakali, 'yung mismong itinaas namin na honorarium ay kakaltasan ng buwis, intact pa rin 'yung mismong honorarium na tinatanggap at dapat tanggapin nila sa kasalukuyan (If that happens, even if taxes are deducted from the increased honorarium, the honorarium that they will get at this time will still be intact)," he added.

Garcia said this is part of their efforts to recognize the vital role of poll workers amid President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s decision to veto the bill seeking to exempt the honorarium of these workers from taxes.

"We respect that (veto). It is the power of the President. We at the Comelec now have an obligation to uphold the welfare of our poll workers," he said.

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-PNA


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