Doubling of teachers’ pay a ‘speculation’ on my part — Roque

MANILA — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque yesterday admitted that the possibility of doubling the salaries of public school teachers was only a "speculation" on his part although he doubled down on his comments that President Rodrigo Duterte wanted to increase their pay.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, Roque stressed that Duterte ordered his Cabinet men to look for ways to give public school educators a pay rise, after he was able to successfully fulfill his promise to double the entry-level salary of soldiers and policemen.

"It's very clear. Even the transcript of what I said here is clear because it was based on the transcript of the Cabinet meeting. He asked his Cabinet members to find ways to increase the salary of teachers," Roque told reporters.

"I did say I did not know by how much. I speculated. It is true that my speculation could be wrong but I did not unequivocally state how much the increase will be. I am unequivocally stating that the president ordered everyone to study how to increase the salaries of teachers," he added.

Questions over the veracity of Roque's assertion swirled after Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said that doubling educators' pay was not within the government's current financial capability.

Diokno said in a television interview that Roque erred when he said that the president wanted a 100 percent increase in teachers' pay.

The budget chief also said that the wage hike for educators right now was a priority as there were still two years left to go for the Salary Standardization Law.

"There’s about 15 to 16 percent increase in the salaries of teachers and there will be another round next year. So I think the best time to see all the salary adjustment is after,” Diokno said.