Addressing concerns of teachers

Michell Mallari Tungcab

The Department of Education (DepEd) vows to address the concerns of teachers and other personnel despite the health crisis still being present.

According to the DepEd, it also has to deal with criticisms from various quarters but it will remain committed to its responsibilities, particularly on benefits and incentives of its personnel.

In response to queries on communication expenses and other reimbursement for teachers, the agency said there is additional provision on communication allowance in the 2021 national budget.

There has been a demand for financial aid and calls to address the concerns of teachers on benefits, among others, particularly the reimbursement of the P300 monthly communication expenses for 2020, the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) 2020, Performance Based Bonus (PBB) 2019, and P1,500 monthly Internet allowance.

DepEd however said the P300 monthly communication reimbursement policy is already implemented by DepEd through DepEd Order 38, Series of 2020.

But there are procedures for reimbursement, including a liquidation report, which is being followed by DepEd as mandated in the General Accounting and Auditing Manual.

The SRI, meanwhile, also has conditions stipulated in Administrative Order 37, Series of 2020, where it was stated that “government agencies are authorized to grant SRI at the maximum of P10,000” per eligible employee.

The funding source for SRI however is chargeable to pooled savings of the agency and not a fund readily available or as additional funding, the DepEd said. It should also be “uniformly” shared by all eligible employees.

The agency said it was able to identify savings within its 2020 budget, thus dividing this to almost one million employees equivalent to a grant of SRI at P6,190 each.

On the 2019 PBB, the DepEd explained that there is an “ongoing evaluation, validation, and accreditation” by a body authorized, which is the AO 25 Task Force.

If the DepEd is found eligible for PBB 2019, then the Department of Budget and Management will release the PBB funds directly to the DepEd Regional Offices.

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The author is Teacher III at San Isidro Elementary School, Lubao West

District