Twice a Month
Maria Lorena G. Pangilinan
Sec. Leonor M. Briones approved the implementation of the twice-a-month release of the salaries of DepEd personnel nationwide upon the recommendation of the DepEd Central Office. This has taken effect this January that has saddened teachers especially those with low salary caused by loans. This however has taken social media into division of pros and cons. Some teachers are against it while others find it convenient. Public school teachers in the Philippines receive their salary once a month in bulk. Usually they receive their salary on the third week of every month. This is somehow prolonging the agony of the needs that can't wait. Most teachers resort to debts until such time they receive their paychecks. To remedy this, the department has resorted to the division of salary to be given on the 15th and the 30th of the month so teachers can easily manage their finances and avoid lending to private institutions for loans.
Teacher’s groups are asking why divide the salary instead of multiplying it? Do teacher’s salary needs division? Do we really address the financial struggle of the teachers resorting to loans? If we dig deeper, financial struggle is rooted to the fact that salary of teachers is lower compared to teachers of other countries. Aside from the low income salary teachers also use their own money in decorating their rooms, providing supplies for their classrooms. Even during pandemic, the gadgets needed by teachers to connect to pupils virtually as well as the provision of internet connectivity came from their own pockets. Is the salary for a Teacher I enough to feed a family? Probably not because rearing children does not stop when you fed them, you need to clothe them and give them quality education hence most married teachers resort to borrowing.
Financial literacy should be addresses by putting solution to what really cause the struggle. This be through a one-time raise in salary not through division of salary. If the government cannot make this possible for the fact that they will also use this increase for additional loan, at least provide additional benefits for teachers in form of food like rice and groceries, provide scholarship for their children and establish hospitals that will cater their health needs. Just my piece of cent.
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