Some 955,000 public school teachers across the country are bound to receive ₱1,000-cash incentive each in celebration of World Teachers’ Day on Sunday, Oct. 5, according to House Assistant Minority Leader and Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales.
“The ₱955 million funding for this year’s WTDIB (World Teachers’ Day Incentive benefit) is line-itemized in the 2025 General Appropriations Law, with a special provision to guarantee its timely release,” Gonzales said in a statement.
Gonzales is a member of the House committees on appropriations and basic education and culture.
“We assure our teachers that this incentive will remain a priority every year. In fact, we’ve filed a bill seeking to enhance the benefit,” he said.
Gonzales and House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan filed early on House Bill 4531 which seeks to triple the WTDIB, giving every public school teacher a ₱3,000 cash gift on World Teachers’ Day.
“The proposed higher benefit is not merely an incentive but a clear expression of our nation’s gratitude. Public school teachers are the backbone of our education system. They deserve recognition not just in words but through tangible support,” Gonzales said.
The bill would also make permanent the WTDIB that Congress first granted to public school teachers six years ago through a simple line-item insertion in the General Appropriations Law of 2019.
World Teachers’ Day, celebrated every Oct. 5 since 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), honors the vital role of teachers in shaping societies.
In the Philippines, Republic Act 10743 likewise declares Oct. 5 as National Teachers’ Day in honor of the dedication and compassion of Filipino educators.
