Press Release
December 15, 2009

Villar: More Support to Public School Teachers during Elections Needed
Filed Senate Bill 3399 that seeks to provide legal assistance, financial support to teachers
with election-related offenses

As the election draws near, Nacionalista President Senator Manny Villar is concerned about the welfare of public school teachers who will once again be at the forefront in May 2010 as they perform their electoral duties anew.

"Teachers undergo a lot of stress before, during and, after elections. In fact, I learned that they are still not trained in how to use the machines that will be used in the upcoming 2010 elections. This is the first nationwide computerized elections in the country and yet the teachers who will be the front-liners are still untrained until now," said Villar.

It was reported that the scheduled training for the estimated 400,000 public school teachers who will man the polling precincts has been postponed to February by the Commission on Elections. The training was supposed to be last month as per the Comelec's election timeline.

During previous elections, there have been many reports of harassment, abuse and even death of public school teachers. Thus, Villar filed earlier this year Senate Bill 3399 or 'An Act to Provide Free Legal Assistance and Financial Support to Public School Teacher Charged with Election-Related Offenses', which will ensure that the teachers welfare are well taken care of.

"Public school teachers serve as vanguards of the people's votes. They deserve to be protected in the same manner that we want our votes protected," said Villar.

According to Villar, on top of their hard work and measly allowance, teachers experience a lot of hardships in performing their duties during elections. Many of them are even slapped with legal or court cases in order to harass them.

These cases unduly burden the poor teachers who risked their lives for a clean and honest election. This bill seeks to provide a mechanism for a free legal assistance to teachers who are charged with cases arising from a lawful discharge of professional duties during elections," cited Villar in S.B. 3399.

For instance, he added, in Bangued, Abra, five teachers were wounded when they were ambushed by armed men while transporting election materials. In Taysan, Batangas, two other teachers perished after a polling precinct was set on fire. Both incidents took place during the 2007 national elections.

"The upcoming elections, if the massacre in Maguindanao will be used as a basis, are off to a gruesome start. Everyone should be vigilant in order to have a peaceful and honest election. As in the past, public school teachers will be at the forefront of the action," said Villar.

Villar's S.B. 3399 seeks to provide a mechanism for a free legal assistance to teachers who are charged with cases arising from a lawful discharge of professional duties during elections.

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