(File photo)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it believes that poll workers will continue to serve in the country's elections despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s veto of the bill exempting their honoraria from taxes.
In a press briefing, Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco expressed hope that the President's decision will not affect teachers' performance of poll duties.
“In previous elections, the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) actually deducted the honoraria. This did not prevent them from performing their duties. We know and we are grateful to all the teachers and all the electoral board members whose wishes are beyond the honoraria. They want to serve. We know it would be better to have no tax to get it in full. But it will not change whether there is tax or not, they will serve for the elections,” he added.
Laudiangco added that they understand the President's decision in vetoing the measure.
“We respect the (decision of the) Office of the President, he really has the power to veto these things. It was mentioned in the veto message. He looked at the general situation of the country and considered the equal protection clause,” he added.
He, meanwhile, believes that the pursuit for the grant of tax-free poll honoraria to teachers will not end with the veto on the measure.
"There may be a new amendment bill for this. Because we know that there is a strong call for teachers' honoraria to be tax exempt,” he said.
Over the weekend, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Marcos vetoed the bill exempting from taxes the honoraria, allowances, and other financial benefits of poll workers because it contradicts the objective of the government’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program.
Marcos explained that the measure would be "inequitable to other persons performing similar activities and/or services." (PNA)
