THE TRAIN LAW: HOPE FOR TEACHERS

MELANIE M. MANIO

There is much ado about the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law (Republic Act No. 10963) signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last December to provide income tax cuts to most of the Filipino taxpayers. It is also said to be the first package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program.

Amid the confusion on the new tax law though, it brings teachers hope as the Department of Education (DepEd) announced On January 5, 2018 that the take home pay of teachers will increase this year due to the TRAIN. The DepEd noted that this also includes increases in their allowances.

The basic salary of a Teacher 1, for instance, is P19,620 and has a take home pay of P17,220. With the implementation of the TRAIN Act and also the third tranche of the Salary Standardization Law of 2015, DepEd said a Teacher 1 would have a basic salary of P20,179.

They would have a take home pay of P20,012 (with Personnel Economic Relief Allowance or PERA), the DepEd said.

In a statement, the department said it supports the administration’s tax reform initiative as this would “significantly develop the country’s human capital”.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones has been working on helping teachers get an adequate compensation. Last October 26, she signed DepEd Order (DO) 55, or the “Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of P4,000 Net Home Pay for DepEd Personnel”.

The move aims to help teachers manage their finances, after data showed that many of them avail of various loans. DO 55 prioritized deductions for contributions to the GSIS, Home Development Mutual Fund, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and PhilHealth.

Meanwhile, teachers can also look forward to an increase in their allowances. Their clothing allowance, which used to be P5,000, would be P6,000 this year.

Similarly, their chalk allowance (which they could use to buy chalks and other classroom supplies), would be increased from P2,500 to P3,500, DepEd sai d .

Indeed, may 2018 usher in more hopes and benefits for teachers who are prime movers in nation building.

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The author is Teacher III at Bahay Pare Elementary School, Candaba East District