Teachers rap Carles treasurer for reducing poll honorarium
A group of teachers from Carles, Iloilo alleged that their P3,300 honorarium for their election duties last May 14 polls has been deducted by their municipal treasurer.
The teachers, who asked for anonymity, alleged that Carles municipal treasurer Magdalena Zaldariaga released to them only P3,000 while others got P3,200.
Four hundred seventy-one teachers serves as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in Carles town which is 147.6 kilometers north of the city.
Each BEI is entitled to get a P3,000 honorarium and another P300 for transportation allowances or a total of P3,300.
Zaldariaga was not available for comment regarding the teachers' allegations against her.
A check with the regional office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed that some municipal treasurers in Iloilo province are allowed to deduct portions of BEIs honorarium. The teachers have to check with the arrangement made by their municipal treasurer.
Robert Salazar of the regional office of the Comelec said there were municipal treasurers who made an advance payment with the Comelec's election fund. The amount was spent for the transportation needs of the teachers during election.
Salazar believes that in the case of the town of Carles, it is logical for the municipal treasurer to deduct any amount depending on the arrangement made by Zaldariaga and the BEIs. Some of the BEIs were fetched from their places to the polling precinct. The treasurer perhaps spent for the pump boat fare of the BEIs who served in the island-barangays, Salazar said.
However, Salazar could not exactly say whether the P100 deduction for each teacher is reasonable enough for the transportation expenses incurred by the town through its treasurer. It depends on the arrangement made by the two parties, the municipal treasurer and the BEI. They have to check it with their municipal treasurer, he said.
The municipal treasurer will liquidate the entire amount to the commission after they are done with the releasing. The Comelec channeled the honorarium of BEIs through their respective municipal treasurer. And the Comelec has no control on how the municipal treasurer distributes the budget, said Salazar.