Teachers seek pay hike, tax cuts

Over 100 public school teachers yesterday held a noise barrage in Quezon City to demand a salary increase and tax cuts on basic goods, pointing out that they have been losing about P4,000 of their monthly pay to inflation.

“It is inappropriate and immoral for the government to be cashing in on our hardships as they collect more value-added tax each time prices of fuel and basic commodities increase. We call on the Marcos government to bring down the prices of goods by scrapping the VAT on oil and essential goods,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) National Capital Region president Ruby Ana Bernardo said.

Based on the ACT’s computation, the real value of the salaries of 92 percent of public school teachers was eroded by P3,862 to P4,524 as inflation hit 7.7 percent last month, based on the 2018 consumer price index.

“Our right to decent standards of living is grossly violated as the Marcos administration refuses to lift a finger amid the economic crisis. We refuse to accept that the government cannot do anything about our predicament,” Bernardo said.

The group noted that the Teacher I position, which receives P25,439 per month, has a real salary of P21,577; the salary of Teacher II worth P27,608 is equivalent to P23,416, and Teacher III pay of P29,798 is only P25,274.

“While we are regarded as professionals, nine out of 10 teachers earn less than P33,000 per month, the standard amount for a just living condition. Teachers and their families are suffering from hunger and debts. Teachers and other workers both in the private and public sector should be given a pay hike,” ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said in Filipino.

Teachers said they would be joining other workers’ groups in a protest rally on Nov. 30, Bonifacio Day, to demand urgent economic relief amid the crisis.

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