On World Teachers’ Day, senators vowed Friday to prioritize the salary increase and additional grants to public school teachers, with Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri filing a bill pushing for a P10,000 monthly pay hike for them.
In the House of Representatives, a congressman paid tribute to teachers by filing a similar measure providing them with higher salaries—moving them up six salary-grade levels—and better retirement benefits.
READ: Pay hike or strike? Teachers set protest day
Rep. Fidel Nograles of Rizal’s Second District filed House Bill 5076, which aims to promote a more conducive work atmosphere and better living conditions for teachers.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in a statement, wished more than 800,000 Filipino teachers a å¡—appy and fruitful World Teachers’ Day.
Coming from a dynasty of teachers and as an educator myself, I have always been looking forward to this celebration”•that special time of the year when citizens from all walks of life take a moment to salute the noblest of all professions, Briones said.
The day saw several schools and local governments suspend classes to give the mentors a chance to celebrate.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers Philippines, which counts over 200,000 members, dedicated the 53rd World Teachers Day commemoration éo the unified struggle of all rank-and-file government employees for decent wages, humane working conditions, and respect for democratic rights.
Zubiri said his Senate Bill No. 104 is among several already in the chamber, as lawmakers recognized the critical role teachers play in the lives of children and in nation building.
“The government has promised to institute another round of government pay hikes. We will initiate the push for pay hikes in the Senate,” the senator said.
READ: Duterte’s wish to hike teachers’ pay okayed
Aside from the P10,000 monthly additional pay, SB 104 would grant teachers a bigger chalk allowance, a P1,000 annual medical checkup allowance, and give Magna Carta benefits to the teachers.
If President Duterte would push through with his promise during the State of the Nation Address to double public school teachers’ salaries, we will help him find the sources of funds as that would entail additional P343.7 billion,” Zubiri said.
He noted that the proposed 2020 Department of Education budget for salaries is P417.5 billion.
Meanwhile, Nograles said: “Despite the fact that they are heralded as the molders of the next generations future, public school teachers remain among the most underpaid workers in government.
He said his proposed measure would peg the salary of entry-level teachers from salary grade 11 now to salary grade 17.
The Nograles bill would also provide retired teachers a monthly pension for life amounting to not less than 80 percent of their monthly average salaries, allowances and other benefits authorized by law as supported by Republic Act 8291, or the Revised Government Service Insurance System Act of 1997.
Based on the Fourth Tranche of the Salary Standardization Law, Salary Grade 11 amounts to P20,754 while Salary Grade 17 amounts to P36,942.
The minimum salary grade level of public school teachers in the elementary and secondary schools now is barely higher than Metro Manila’s 537-peso minimum wage, Nograles said, and such low salary deprives them of the opportunities to improve their skills and pursue further education and training.
“We must promote an environment where continuous learning from one generation to the next is possible,” Nograles said.
“We can guarantee that our children will acquire better education by empowering our 800,000-strong teachers by providing them with adequate remuneration and incentives in exchange for the value of service they render.”
If passed, the initial funding required for the law’s implementation will be sourced from the savings of the Executive branch of the government and other possible sources that may be determined by the Office of the President.
The subsequent funds needed will be included in the General Appropriations Act for the year following the implementation of the Act.
“Our teachers are considered the heart of the educational system,” Nograles said.
READ: Fund for teachers‘ pay hike found