No overtime pay for teachers’ extended poll service            

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections Commissioner George Garcia yesterday reiterated that the Comelec would not pay teachers for the extra hours they served in the recently concluded general elections.

Garcia said they were not allowed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release overtime payments for teachers who served during the May 9 polls, as they are not directly employed by the Comelec.

“This is disallowed by the Commission on Audit because of that DBM circular,” he added.

Asked if it is the Department of Education that should release the overtime pay, Garcia replied “more or less.”

Garcia expressed belief that teachers deserve the extra pay as they have devoted their time serving in the elections.

He said the Comelec does not have the list yet of the number of teachers who did overtime poll du