Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has co-sponsored Senate Bill No. 1964 or the “Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act,” which seeks to institutionalize teaching supplies allowances for public school teachers.
Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. is the principal author of the said measure.
In his co-sponsorship speech, Go emphasized the importance of providing a sufficient allowance for teachers to sustain their teaching supply needs, especially as the country continues to recover from the pandemic.
“Schools are now open, and most are now back to face-to-face classes,” he said.
He said this also means the return of the long-time problems of teachers- the absence of funds for purchase of chalks and other teaching supplies.
He expressed concerns for the teachers, stating that a significant number of them lack the essential resources and materials required for effective teaching because the government does not provide them with adequate allowance.
“This also forced most of our teachers to dip into their own pockets just to ensure that their students have the resources they need to learn,” he said.
“It is essential to recognize that teachers are the backbone of our educational system. They work tirelessly to impart knowledge and skills to our children, preparing them for the future,” Go said.
According to the committee report, the proposed measure seeks to raise the allowance for teaching supplies from P5,000 to P7,500 for the academic year 2023 to 2024, and P10,000 for the academic year 2024 to 2025.
By increasing the teachers’ supplies allowance, Go stated that the government can achieve two goals simultaneously, “alleviating the financial burden on our teachers and improving the quality of education in our country by boosting the morale of our teachers.”
The proposed legislation mandates that all teachers in public schools will receive an allowance for purchasing teaching supplies and materials, as well as using different methods of delivering instruction.
The allowance may be used to buy both tangible and intangible materials, and it will not be subject to income tax.
The allowance’s value will be adjusted every three years to keep up with the changing prices of teaching supplies and materials.
If passed into law, Go said that the government can improve the economic status of teachers and assist them in providing quality education to their students.
“I believe that education is the key to a better future. And providing support for our teachers is also an investment for the future of our youth. We cannot afford to let our teachers and students suffer due to a lack of resources,” said Go.
“We must recognize the importance of our teachers and provide them with the necessary resources to teach effectively,” he added.
Furthermore, he urged his fellow public officials to work together to ensure that teachers have access to the resources they need to make a positive impact on the lives of their students.
