By Ina Hernando Malipot
The Department of Education has reminded thousands of volunteer-teachers serving in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan tomorrow to be neutral and non-partisan.
“Our advice to our teachers is always to remain neutral and non-partisan and in the event of whatever violence that will happen in the school, our law enforcers are always there,” said DepEd Undersecretary for Administration and Election Task Force chairperson Alain Pascua.
“I think when it comes to violence in the polling places, the law enforcers are very ready to respond, and our teachers are advised to remain in their posts, in the classroom, and be very objective and fair,” Pascua said.
Meanwhile, the DepEd will reactivate its Election Task Force and Monitoring Center at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City today.
Pascua said that more than 300 DepEd personnel and officials will give support to teachers serving in the elections through the ETF and Monitoring Center. The ETF and Monitoring Center is open the day before, on the day, and until the day after the elections to serve as command center for “addressing issues and problems of teacher-volunteers.”
“Our teachers are ready, aside from the Central Office, we are duplicating the Election Task Force in every region,” Pascua said. “We have encouraged every regional offices, even the division offices, to organize similar task forces so we can provide support to our teachers,” he added.
