PROPOSED SALARY INCREASE FOR TEACHERS

MONETTE SUNGA MAMANGUN

A measure upgrading the minimum salary grade level of teachers from Salary Grade 11 to 19 in support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s campaign promise of a salary increase is now being pushed for approval.

The proposal would complement the bill bumping up the teaching supplies’ allowance of some 800,000 public school teachers that was recently approved by both houses of Congress.

The low salary rates for around 800,000 public school teachers have resulted in "disincentivization" to improve their skills and pursue further education and training, officials pointed out.

They said that despite their heavy workload and essential role as agents of constructive intellectual, social, cultural, political and moral change in the society, public school teachers are among the most underpaid workers in the country.

Increasing their take-home pay and providing for a permanent teaching supplies allowance with a provision for a steady bump per school year (SY) will hopefully incentivize them to strive for excellence in their field and make teaching a more attractive profession for our students, they added.

According to Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, the Department of Education (DepEd) has started looking into a long-term approach to raising teachers’ salaries. President Marcos has also directed the education department to conduct a study on raising teachers' pay.

The salary upgrade, under House Bill 1851, shall be “differentiated in accordance with the 5 qualifications and length of service rendered by teachers and shall not be prejudiced by across-the-board salary adjustments.”

House Bill 1851 complements House Bill 9682, which proposes that the yearly teaching allowance will increase from the current PHP5,000 to PHP7,500 per teacher for school year 2024-2025, and PHP10,000 per teacher in the succeeding school years.

Under Section 4 of HB 9682, the allowance can be used to buy tangible or intangible teaching supplies and materials, pay incidental expenses and implement or conduct various learning delivery modalities.

In May, the Senate approved its counterpart bill, Senate Bill 1964, or the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act.

-oOoThe author is a Teacher I at Sapang Kawayan Elementary School