At least 10 Filipino workers in Hong Kong who passed the teachers’ licensure examinations of the Professional Regulations Commission last August will be hired by the Department of Education as teachers, according to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.
They are among more than 52,000 examinees who passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) on Aug. 17, 2014 in Hong Kong and 24 testing centers all over the Philippines.
“The DepEd will employ the ten former OFWs as teachers holding regular plantilla item positions,” said Baldoz who launched the program along with DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro under “Sa Pinas, Ikaw and Ma’am/Sir”, a component of the National Reintegration Program for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW).
According to Baldoz, the teachers are Cristina B. Pimentel of Barangay Burgos, San Guillermo town, Isabela; Rosemelinda A. Castillo of Brgy. Tapel, Gonzaga, Cagayan; Bravo, Miluz of Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City; Mary Grace A. Jimenez of Brgy. Cabaruyan, Libungan, North Cotabato; Lorna P. Tabernero, of Santol, La Union; Helen A. Nalupa of Brgy. Songkoy, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte; Gertrudes D. Baliclic of Piddig, Ilocos Norte; Assen Shierra A. Biggayan of Brgy. Centro, Abulug, Cagayan; Mia C. Garcia of Brgy. Cristo Rey, Capaz, Tarlac; and Joan S. Kirit of Brgy. Diego Silang Village, Ususan, Taguig City.
“Most of the ten teachers have already submitted complete documentary requirements, while some are still in the process,” Bureau of Local Employement Director Nikki Tutay told Baldoz.
“They are already assured to be hired as teachers,” she said .
A Teacher I position, Baldoz said, pays an entry level salary of P20,549 a month including a Cost of Living Allowance of P2,000. With deductions of P4,049.81 which consist of income tax, GSIS, PagIBIG, and PhilHealth contribution, the take-home pay is P16,499.19.
She said perks and benefits included clothing/uniform allowance of P5,000 per year; year-end bonus equivalent to one month basic pay; cash gift of P5,000; performance bonus depending on teaching performance; and productivity enhancement of P5,000.
“Moreover, teachers also receive incentives, such as proportional vacation pay equivalent to 70 days; Christmas vacation pay equivalent to 14 days; and a chalk allowance of P1,000 per year,” Baldoz explained.
Other privileges are a one-step increment for every three years of continuous satisfactory performance; hardship allowance for teachers assigned in hardship posts (i.e., cannot be reached by regular means of transportation, but only through hiking or banca/motorcylce rides); mobile teachers and multi-grade teachers (15-25 percent of basic salary); and honoraria for teaching overload subject to funds availability.
“This pay is for single teachers. The pay for married teachers with dependents is higher a bit,” she said.
This project for domestic worker-teachers is very encouraging. It guarantees them careers in the public education system and weans them away from their previous domestic work occupations, Baldos said.
The DOLE has conceived ‘Sa ‘Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am Project’ to provide licensed teachers working abroad, either as domestic workers or non-teaching related occupations, to come home and teach instead.
“The DepEd has 1,300 teaching vacancies left for 2014 and 39,000 vacant teacher positions in 2015,” Baldoz said.