The Commission on Elections employees' union has called on the poll body leadership to prioritize the protection and welfare of poll workers, especially those in the frontlines.

The group made the appeal after the tongue-lashing incident in Sta. Ana town in Cagayan where an election officer was berated by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on October 31, the last day of voter registration process.

"The tongue lashing incident in Cagayan draws attention to the dangers, rigors and pressures faced daily by Comelec rank and file employees," the group's national president Mac Ramirez said.

"In fact, the bullying done to election officer Edna Tacazon by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is just a walk in the park compared to what happened to our other colleagues, who were brutally murdered for just doing their jobs," he added.

He said Isabela City, Basilan election officer Daryl Kinazo, 45, was shot dead last August 11 after supervising the conduct of voters’ registration for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Latuan Town.

Another poll employee, Romulado Palispis, 51, election assistant in Aurora Province, was killed by motorcycle riding gunmen in front of his house on last June 30, Ramirez said.

Ramirez noted that as the 2013 elections draw near, more and more incidents of bullying, harassment and intimidation will be faced by
Comelec employees, calling on the poll body for more pro-active measures that will ensure the protection, safety and wellbeing of its personnel.

He also reiterated their appeal for a salary increase for the COMELEC rank and file.

"The salary of Comelec employees grossly insufficient compared to our nature of work. We risk life and limb to protect people’s votes but we are paid ridiculously low,” Ramirez said.

The Comelec-EU said the salary of poll employees is not at par with those received by workers in other constitutional bodies and government agencies.

The union noted that a Comelec provincial election supervisor 1 is paid with wages much lower than a division chief in other government offices.

Meanwhile, an election officer 1 receives a measly monthly salary of P18, 333 despite their huge responsibility of running the elections in a district, city or municipality, the group said.

"This unjust wage disparity have been a perennial source of embarrassment for our frontline workers in the field," said Ramirez.

"It is only in Comelec will you see lawyers who serve as election assistants that are paid with a measly P16,000 per month," he said.

The union said it supports the calls for the for the P6, 000 increase in the minimum pay of public sector employees nationwide. - Dennis Carcamo

Source: http://www.philstar.com/breaking-news/2012/11/12/865889/poll-workers-decry-dangerous-job-low-salary