SINABI ng Department of Education (DepEd) na magde-deploy ito ng kulang-kulang kalahating milyong guro at tauhan para gampanan ang kanilang tungkulin sa 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
“Our teaching and non-teaching personnel have and will continue to perform their duties and responsibilities as Electoral Boards, DepEd Supervisor Officials, Barangay Board of Canvassers, Support Staff, among others, in the elections, as part of their oath to safeguard and pave the way for all Filipino learners to a brighter future,” ayon kay Undersecretary for Operations Atty. Revsee Escobedo, nagsisilbi ring chairman ng DepEd Election Task Force.
Kamakailan lamang ay sumali ang DepEd sa Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sa Multi-agency Send-off and Turnover Ceremony para ipakita ang puwersa ng pamahalaan at
resources na gagamitin para sa 2023 BSKE.
Para sa nalalapit na halalan, sinabi ng DepEd na magde-deploy ito ng 494,662. Sa nasabing bilang, 382,793 ang magsisilbi bilang Electoral Boards; 25,196 ang magsisilbi bilang DESOs; 68,873 ang magsisilbi bilang BBOCs; at 17,800 ang magsisilbi sa ibang kapasidad gaya ng substitutes, support staff, at poll clerks.
“As parents, role models, and public servants, it is our duty towards the Filipino to ensure that their rights are enforced, their quality of life improved, and the people’s voice heard,” ayon kay Escobedo.
“I sincerely believe that all of us gathered today are prepared to do what is necessary to safeguard our countrymen’s rights,” dagdag na wika nito.
Nauna rito, lumagda naman ang DepEd ng isang Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) kasama ang COMELEC at Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) para protektahan ang mga guro mula sa maraming election offenses at o kaya naman ay sa administrative complaints.
Idagdag pa rito, nagsagawa ang DepEd ng nationwide orientation at training para tiyakin na alam ng mga miyembro ng task force ang pamamaraan sa pagsasagawa ng eleksyon.
Sinabi ng DepEd na sakop ng pagsasanay ang impormasyon sa mall voting, maagang pagboto para sa senior citizens at persons with disabilities, election procedures “before, during, at after” at iba pang election concerns.
Samantala, pinaalalahanan naman ng DepEd ang mga opisyal at tauhan nito “not to intervene directly or indirectly in any election campaign or engage in any partisan political activity except to vote.”
At para i-report ang election-related issues at concerns, hinikayat ng DepEd ang lahat ng concerned na kontakin ang BSKE hotline numbers: (02) 8559 9951 at (02) 8567 4560. Kris Jose
