Press Release
May 8, 2018

NANCY APPEALS TO BIR: DO NOT TAX HONORARIUM, ALLOWANCE OF ELECTION BOARD

Senator Nancy Binay today appealed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to waive the imposition of the five percent withholding tax on the electoral board's honorarium and travel allowance in the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

"In the spirit of public service, nananawagan po ako sa BIR na i-waive na ang five percent tax sa honorarium at travel allowance ng mga election board (EB) sa barangay at SK elections," Binay, the chair of the Senate committee on social justice, said.

"Boluntaryo pong ginagawa ito ng ating mga public school teachers, kaya nararapat lamang na suklian ng estado ang serbisyong ito," she added.

Under Republic Act no. 10756 or the Election Service Reform Act, the chairperson of Electoral Boards will receive 6,000.00, Electoral Board members P5,000.00, Department of Education Supervisor Official P4,000.00, and support staff will get P2,000.00.

They are also entitled for a P1,000.00 travel allowance each. Other benefits given by the law include a minimum of five days service credit; a P50,000.00 legal indemnification package; medical assistance of up to P200,000.00; and P500,000.00 election-related death benefit.

The lady solon also pushed for the speedy disbursement of the EB's honoraria and allowance.

"Normally po ay pagkatapos ng eleksyon ito ibinibigay sa mga EB, pero dahil may mga election-related na gastusin na bago pa man ang eleksyon e mas mabuting ibigay na ito agad sa mga guro," Binay said.

The honoraria and allowance are payable within 15 days after the election, according to RA10756.

She likewise appealed to her colleagues in Congress to support the increase of the election board's death insurance and legal indemnification benefits.

"Buhay at integridad po ng election board ang nakataya bawat eleksyon so mas mabuti pong taasan ang mga benepisyong ito. Manghahain po ako ng amendment na inaasahan kong susuportahan ng aking mga kasama sa Kongreso," Binay said.

She noted that teachers face legal suits and harassment every election.

"Makakatulong din po ang pagtataas ng legal benefit sa ating kaguruan na maibsan ang pag-aalala nila sa posibleng kasong kanilang haharapin sa pagsisilbi sa bayan," Binay said.

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