Tiniyak ng Department of Education (DepEd) na magagamit ng pamahalaan ang nasa 900,000 mga guro sa pampublikong paaralan sa 2022 presidential elections.
Sa pagdinig sa Senado tungkol sa proposed P606.5-billion budget ng kagawaran, naitanong ni Sen. Sonny Angara kung mayroon bang sapat na bilang ng mga guro sakaling gawing dalawa hanggang tatlong araw ang botohan.
“We have 900,000 teachers and during the last elections the law provides that the participation in the electoral process has to be voluntary. If we go by experience in last year’s elections, practically all except those who are unable physically to participate, volunteered,” wika ni Briones.
“It has become part of the tradition that teachers are trusted and they live up to this very high level of trust. I would imagine that if there is a decision, especially if it is covered by law, our teachers will participate,” dagdag nito.
Noong 2019, nasa mahigit kalahating milyong teachers sa buong bansa ang nakilahok sa midterm elections.
Una rito, sinabi ng Commission on Elections na binabalak nilang isagawa ang halalan sa 2022 sa loob ng dalawa hanggang tatlong araw.
Paliwanag ng Comelec, ito raw ay upang malimitahan ang bilang ng mga botanteng nagtutungo sa mga presinto sakaling umiiral pa rin sa panahong iyon ang COVID-19 pandemic.
