A poll watchdog and a teachers’ group called for more training for the educators who will supervise the midterm elections to ensure they are familiar with the changes and the new machines.
Lito Averia, national chairperson of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), said on Monday that teachers’ training should be strengthened ahead of the polls because of changes in the technology used for the elections.
Averia, however, assured that the machines are not complicated and that the changes are minimal.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers chairperson Vladimer Quetua, meanwhile, added that teachers just wanted to be more knowledgeable of the new machines.
“Nanghingi kami ng sapat na araw, hindi lang dalawa, tatlong araw, kasi kapag kulang ang training, sa araw ng eleksyon may nagtatanong pa rin na mga teacher kasi may mga teacher pa lang na maglilingkod sa halalan. Sa Election Service Reform Act, boluntaryo na lamang sila,” Quetua said.
Quetua also called for additional allowances for teachers during the elections.
“Kulang ang allowance, lalo na sa transportation. Wala ring food allowance hindi katulad dati,” he said.
“Itinutulak namin kay Chairman Garcia, madagdagan sana ‘yung transpo at magkaroon ng food allowance,” he added, referring to Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia.
