President pledges pay hike for teachers
President Duterte has pledged to grant an increase in the salary of public school teachers but admitted he could not afford to double their pay.
The President assured that the planned salary increase for the teachers would be incremental once the domestic economy further improves.
“Ang inyo, kayo ang isunod ko [I will raise your (salary) next],” the President said during the 37th Principals Training and Development Program and National Board Conference in Davao City, drawing applause from the crowd.
“Pero hindi naman masyadong doblado, hindi talaga kaya. [But I cannot double it. We cannot afford it]. We’ve been trying to come up with a progressive – I’m not blaming anybody but simply there are too many Filipinos. Ang resources natin wala [We lack resources],” he added.
Duterte said he was aware of the hardship of public school teachers to make both ends meet, adding he was a son of a government teacher.
He noted that some teachers have probably placed their ATM cards as collateral for loans.
But the President explained that the government needs more revenues to fund various programs, including the proposed pay hike for teachers.
“The only source of income of the government is taxes and that our tax base is always computed on wealth of the nation… We cannot just print money. We are controlled by the World Bank and the IMF, International Monetary Board,” he added.
After the government sought to double the pay of soldiers and policemen, the President had earlier wanted to raise salaries of government teachers by using the proceeds of the next tax reform package.
Last February, Duterte directed the Cabinet to explore ways to raise the salaries of public school teachers and other government workers by 2020, instead of 2019. The Palace explained that the government workforce is still expected to receive salary adjustment in 2019 as part of the last tranche of the Salary Standardization Law.
The Department of Budget and Management had earlier said it was not opposed to salary hike for teachers and other public servants but sought a study on the proposal to ensure the budget deficit remains manageable.
“We support 100 percent the President’s plan to raise the salary of our public school teachers. They are among the most underpaid workers, given their workload and role in the society,” said Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, who has been pushing teachers’ pay hike since he was still a congressman.
Angara is chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee that evaluates the pros and cons on measures related to taxation.
“Teachers are heralded as molders of our children’s future and second parents, and yet, they receive a basic salary that does not equate to their contribution. Kung merong karapat-dapat na taasan ang sahod, sila ang ating mga guro,” Angara said. (There is basis to increase the salaries of our teachers.)
Angara’s Senate Bill 135 seeks to upgrade the minimum salary grade level of teachers from Salary Grade 11 to 19 – doubling their current monthly base pay from P20,179 to P42,099.
Angara stressed that the increase in salaries would attract more qualified and competent educators to teach in public schools. (With a report from Mario B. Casayuran)