TO ensure the safety and welfare of the almost half a million teachers who will man election precincts, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus activated a task force that will also oversee the operations of the department during the elections.

“While we look forward to that day when teachers are relieved of the difficult task and hazards associated with their poll duties, we also recognize that important responsibility, as mandated by the Constitution,” Lapus said.

He said that the task force will do comprehensive monitoring and quick response to the concerns of teachers during the May elections.

“The department will make sure that the teachers and other education personnel [tasked to do election duty] are aware of their rights and responsibilities attached to this extraordinary work.”

The task force will be headed by Ramon Bacani, education undersecretary for regional operations and Franklin Sunga, undersecretary for legal affairs.

The department is now coordinating with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure the orderly management and operations of education personnel during the elections. 

The department will also tap the National Police to ensure the safety and security of teachers.

The militant Alliance of Concerned Teachers meanwhile said private school teachers and civil service personnel should be tapped for election duty instead of public school teachers.

ACT made the statement after the Comelec announced that it would engage the services of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) to fill in the shortage of public school teachers to serve in the Boards of Election Inspectors in the May elections.

Antonio Tinio, ACT chairman, said that ROTC cadets should only be the last option.

The Comelec needs at least 900,000 poll personnel for the May elections.

Tinio said that the cadets, being young and inexperienced, should not serve in the BEIs.

Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. apparently, toyed with the idea of mobilizing ROTC cadets because of the fact that the available public school teachers are not enough to man some 250,000 polling precincts nationwide.

In Bulacan, black propaganda hurled against some politicians has started to circulate through text messages.

In the past several days, messages sent through the short messaging system (SMS) have circulated among cellular phone users in Bulacan.

The text messages particularly targeted a Lakas gubernatorial wannabe. Two other Lakas members are eyeing the post.

The possible gubernatorial candidates under the dominant Lakas are Board Member Joselito Mendoza, the younger brother of incumbent Gov. Josie de la Cruz, former governor Roberto Pagdanganan and Lakas Rep. Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado of Bulacan.

One message claimed that Alvarado will be given a Cabinet position by President Arroyo and that Pagdanganan has been chosen as the official Lakas gubernatorial bet.

“That’s black propaganda from crying wolves,” Alvarado told local mediamen.

He said that the President has not yet decided on who will be the administration’s standard bearer for the gubernatorial race in Bulacan, and might conduct another survey that may be the basis of her decision on who to endorse by February 15.

Another text message said that Alvarado is leading the gubernatorial race in a survey and that Pagdanganan is running for congressman of the First  District.

 “Hindi totoo iyan,” a member of the Pagdanganan camp countered and even cited the result of a recent survey by Malacañang that Pagdanganan is on the lead followed by Mendoza and Alvarado is a distant third. -- With R. Lazaro

MEMBERS of the Task Force Abra recommended on Monday that the Ombudsman subject officials of the province of Abra to a lifestyle check following a report that 15 out of the 27 mayors have built houses and have established residences in the capital town of Bangued.

A MERRY mix of young and old politicians and movie personalities will make up what an administration legislator called a “powerhouse” senatorial ticket that the Arroyo administration will unveil next week, when the campaign period for senatorial bets officially starts.

TO ensure the safety and welfare of the almost half a million teachers who will man election precincts, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus activated a task force that will also oversee the operations of the department during the elections.

Dynasties dominate Bicol politics

NAGA CITY—Is this a case of former senator Francisco Tatad seeing the mote in the eye of the Senate but  not  the timber in his own backyard—in Bicol, where the electoral contest has been practically reduced to a political musical chair competition with family members changing seats or running against each other.