Biel Jose Catipon

The Department of Education (DepEd) commended the contributions and efforts of public school teachers and personnel who rendered service in the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) on May 12.

Photo Courtesy of Philippine Star/Miguel De Guzman.

More than 660,000 teachers and school staff served as poll workers, with DepEd hailing them as “frontliners of democracy” whose commitment helped ensure a peaceful and orderly electoral process.

“Salamat po sa lahat ng guro, poll workers, at school staff na tumulong at nagbantay sa halalan. Mula umpisa hanggang matapos, and’yan kayo—hindi bumitaw,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement on Tuesday, May 13.

The DepEd Election Task Force (ETF) operated a 24/7 command center from May 11 to 13, receiving 603 reports, mostly from Region IX, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the National Capital Region (NCR), involving VCM glitches, ballot issues, and problems with voter lists.

“Saludo po kami. Dahil sa inyo, naging maayos at safe ang proseso. Kayo ang tunay na ka-team sa Bagong Pilipinas—laging handa, laging para sa bayan,” he added, noting that most concerns were promptly resolved by the ETF or endorsed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for appropriate action.

Alongside this recognition, the distribution of honoraria for teachers and poll workers who served in the midterm elections has begun.

“Yes po, nagsimula na po…. Ayon po sa Election Service Reform Act, dapat po maibigay namin ang honoraria within 15 days [after the elections],” Comelec Spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a media briefing on Wednesday, May 14.

Laudiangco encouraged teachers who have completed their election duties to coordinate with the election officers (EOs) in the areas where they served to facilitate the release of their payments.

Following the approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on May 9 for a Php 2,000 across-the-board honoraria increase, electoral board chairpersons will now receive Php 12,000, up from the previous Php 10,000; poll clerks and third members will receive Php 11,000, previously Php 9,000; and support staff will get Php 8,000, compared to the earlier Php 6,000.

Under RA No. 12116 or the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), Php 7.4 billion was allocated to cover payments for more than 758,000 poll workers nationwide.