DBM authorizes 75,000 new school teaching jobs
THE DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the creation of about 75,000 public school teaching positions for the next school year, as well as the release of P804.86 million worth of pension arrears to World War II veterans.
Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said yesterday that the new positions will address a nationwide teacher shortage after the disruptions created by the K to 12 curriculum.
The government will authorize 40,642 positions with the rank of Teacher 1 for the kindergarten and elementary levels, 34,244 Teacher 1 positions for junior high school, and 356 Teacher 2 positions for senior high school — all for the 2018-2019 school year.
“As you know during the last two years we’ve just been improvising for grades 11 and 12. We’ve been tapping the private schools and universities for this purpose. Now that we have this full complement of university students coming from grades 11 and 12, we need these positions,” he said during a briefing yesterday in Mandaluyong City.
“The funding requirements to cover salaries and other forms of compensation for the new positions shall be charged against the 2018 Built- in Appropriations ( New School Personnel Positions). Notably, only filled positions will be covered by the DBM’s issuance of a Special Allotment Release Order,” he added.
Mr. Diokno also said yesterday that the department has released the initial P804.86 million for the payment of pension to troops who served the Philippines during World War II.
The amount will cover the settlement of the Total Administrative Disability ( TAD) Pension Arrears to 6,046 surviving spouses of deceased veterans.
“The Total Administrative Disability Pension is a monthly entitlement of P1,700 awarded to veterans upon reaching the age of 70. Living veterans receive their entitlement on a monthly basis, while arrears are awarded to surviving spouses of World War II Veterans and other eligible deceased veterans upon approval of requests made by Philippine Veterans Affairs Office,” said Mr. Diokno.
He said that the remaining P841.87 million is expected to be released within the year.