May 03, 2018
DepEd Memorandum No. 81, s. 2018
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 2018 DEPED ELECTION TASK FORCE OPERATION AND MONITORING CENTER IN THE CENTRAL, REGIONAL AND SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE MAY 14, 2018 BARANGAY AND SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN ELECTIONS
To:
Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
All Others Concerned
1. Pursuant to Article IX-C, Section 2 (4) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has the power to deputize law enforcement agencies and instrumentalities of the government for the exclusive purpose of ensuring free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections.
2. The Department of Education (DepEd) is one of the national agencies deputized by COMELEC to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections, through the appointment of public school teachers to serve as chairpersons and members of the Electoral Board.
3. By virtue of the aforementioned authority granted by COMELEC to DepEd to ensure compliance with and enforcement of all orders and instructions relative to the election duties of the latter’s personnel to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections, the 2018 DepEd Election Task Force (ETF) Operation and Monitoring Center for the May 14, 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections shall be established at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City, which starts at 2:00 p.m. of May 13, 2018 and ends on 12:00 noon of May 15, 2018.
4. The DepEd Election Task Force (ETF) shall be headed by the Undersecretary for Administration who is instructed to immediately constitute the working committees and support mechanisms of the DepEd Election Task Force (ETF).
5. Likewise, all regional and schools division offices are authorized to create their respective DepEd Election Task Force (ETF) Operations and Monitoring Centers on the same dates and schedules mentioned above.
6. The DepEd ETF Operation and Monitoring Center will ensure that teachers and other DepEd personnel who will render election service shall be provided with adequate information, technical and legal assistance in the course of the performance of their duties during the May 14, 2018 Barangay and SK Elections.
7. The DepEd ETF Operation and Monitoring Center shall also serve as DepEd institutional link to volunteer organizations, individuals, as well as partner agencies involved in the conduct of the May 14, 2018 Barangay and SR Elections.
8. All DepEd officials and personnel, being in the civil service, are reminded not to intervene directly or indirectly in any election campaign or engage in any partisan political activity, except to vote.
9. For more information, contact the Office of the Undersecretary for Administration, Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office, Mabini Building, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City at telephone nos. (02 633-7203 and (02) 637-6207 or email at usee.admin@deped.gov.ph.
10. Immediate dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.
LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES
Secretary