BY GALLEN RAY CANILLO/UM Intern
THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) XI urged the public against blaming teachers serving as electoral board members if the automated counting machines (ACMs) malfunction on election day, citing the stress they already endure during the polls.
“Again, let me just reiterate to the public…give them [electoral board] the appropriate respect they deserve because they are already under stress in conducting their duties, and you will berate them—that is not acceptable,” DepEd XI spokesperson Jenielito S. Atillo said during a forum on Friday, May 9.
Atillo emphasized that the agency is “100 percent ready,” saying electoral board members had undergone orientation by the Commission on Elections.
“We are 100% ready, we are just waiting for the day, and we’re saying that our teachers are well-prepared for their participation in this coming elections,” added Atillo.
Meanwhile, Atty. Aileen Lizada, spokesperson of the Archdiocesan Citizens Engagement Committee-Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, assured that all machines successfully passed the final testing and sealing (FTS).
“We haven’t received any alarming report,” Lizada explained.
Earlier reports stated that the agency will deploy 12,411 teachers on May 12, with 11,132 serving as electoral board members, including 1,136 DepEd supervisor officials and 143 members of the board of canvassers.
A total of 22,378 precincts and 4,189 clustered precincts will be under their watch.
