DOST personnel training a teacher in the operation of VCM or vote counting machine.
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has started training public school teachers all over the country on how to operate the vote counting machines or VCM.
The teachers find the new machines more user-friendly than the old PCOS machines.
“It’s more updated. It’s has new features that reduce the burden on the part of the teachers,” said teacher Genelyn Tinaliga.
After the lecture and hands-on training, the teachers will undergo an exam conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) before they will be issued a certification that serves as proof that they know how to operate the VCMs.
Also discussed at the seminar are other functions of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI), such as “handling watchers,” since according to election officer, Eric Santos from Marikina City, “usually we encounter problems with them.”
A training video is also posted on COMELEC’s website that teachers can review.
Meanwhile, the Commission is not concerned if the bill freeing teachers from election duties becomes a law.
COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista explains that they will not fall short of BEIs because they will only be needing half of the total number of public school teachers all over the country.
“There are about 650,000 teachers and that another 70,000 teachers are going to be hired, (according to DepEd).”
“We will only be needing about 300,000. So, for so long as one out of two will volunteer then we will have no problem.”
Even if election duties will not be mandatory anymore, some teachers still opt to serve as Board of Election Inspectors despite the burden it carries with it.
Teacher Cyendy Mandapat said, “Magse-serve pa rin po kasi masarap ang feeling po eh na priceless po yung pagse-serve namin.”
(I will still serve because its fulfilling, it’s priceless when you serve.)
VICTOR COSARE / UNTV News
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