12,000 pass DOST-7 certification exam

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CEBU CITY — Over 12,000 public school teachers in Region 7 (Central Visayas) have passed the certification exam conducted by the Department of Science and Technology-Central Visayas (DOST-7), a requirement for those serving as electoral board (EB) members in the May 2025 midterm elections.

DOST-7 reported a passing rate of 92.78 percent, slightly higher than the national average of 91.96 percent.

The certification, mandated under Republic Act 9369, ensures that at least one member of eve-ry EB is both information technology-capable and certified to operate the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) automated election system.

A total of 12,566 teachers in the region enrolled in the DOST's training and evaluation pro-gram, which covers both theoretical instruction and hands-on practice in operating automat-ed counting machines (ACMs).

The figures, however, are not yet final as several training sessions, particularly in Bohol, have yet to be completed and encoded into the system.

DOST-7 Assistant Director Tristan Abando said that the final tally of certified EB members in Central Visayas will be updated after all remaining sessions are accounted for.

He noted that while the current number reflects those already processed, additional teachers are still undergoing evaluation.

DOST-7 Director Jesus Zamora Jr., meanwhile, emphasized the department's role in equipping poll workers with the necessary technical skills to perform their duties effectively.

He said the certification serves as a safeguard to ensure that election-related procedures are carried out accurately and securely, especially given the automated nature of the electoral process.

While a small percentage of teachers did not meet the certification requirements, regional election officials assured the public that contingency measures are in place.

Comelec-7 Director Francisco Pobe said that replacement personnel will be sourced from an existing pool of backup teachers provided by the Department of Education (DepEd), all of whom have undergone the same training program.

He said that all prospective EB members must demonstrate competence in using ACMs, includ-ing basic troubleshooting, to avoid delays and ensure smooth operations on election day.

Those who fail to meet the standard are not allowed to serve and are instead substituted with certified personnel from the DepEd list.

Comelec and DepEd have long maintained that EB members should be computer literate, es-pecially since the conduct of elections has been fully automated since 2010.

Teachers assigned to these roles are expected not only to operate the machines but also to handle any technical issues that may arise during voting.

In addition to the training of educators, the Philippine National Police is also preparing its personnel in case of election-related disruptions.

Fifty police officers in Bohol are scheduled to undergo training on March 26-27, followed by another batch in Cebu on March 27-28.

However, these personnel are not meant to replace teachers but to serve as standby support should any EB member withdraw due to peace and order concerns.

The Comelec clarified that the deployment of police officers in this capacity is a precautionary measure.