Marcos orders P2,000 honoraria hike for teachers, poll workers — DBM

COUNTDOWN TO MAY 12 Poll watchers, teachers, electoral board members and technical staff from the Department of Education conduct the final inspection, testing and sealing of vote-counting machines and other election paraphernalia at Rafael Palma Elementary School in Manila in this file photo taken on May 5, 2025, a week before the midyear elections. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines — In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Friday said it approved the across the board P2,000 honoraria hike for teachers and poll workers.

“As directed by our beloved President Bongbong Marcos, finally, our teachers and poll workers will receive a P2,000 across the board increase on their compensation for the 2025 midterm elections,” said DBM chief Amenah Pangandaman in a statement.

Pangandaman said the new honoraria rates for electoral board chairperson will be P12,000 from the P10,000; poll clerk and 3rd member will now get P11,000 from the previous P9,000; while support staff will now have P8,000 from previous P6,000.

DBM noted that the 2025 General Appropriations Act earmarked P7.4 billion for poll worker compensation.

The total number of poll workers for the national and local elections at 758,549, according to DBM, citing Commission on Elections (Comelec) data.

Pangandaman then urged Comelec to ensure that our teachers and poll workers will get their compensation as quickly as possible.

“They deserve nothing less,” she said.

In a related development, Palace communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Marcos also had a directive to launch a 24/7 monitoring center in a bid to ensure a “clean and honest” midterm elections.

READ: Meta takes down ‘thousands’ of fake accounts, pages as May 12 polls near

“This is a real time digital command post  which is ready to detect, prevent, and end online misinformation and disinformation,” Castro said in a regular briefing.

This “war room” was launched by the  Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the DICT.

Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the Quezon City-based 24/7 Threat Monitoring Center of Comelec and DICT with Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, was launched on Monday. /jpv