Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros today urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to immediately resolve the delayed payment of salaries or benefits to its teachers.

‘’First, our health workers, then, our teachers. Hindi dapat natin pinapayagang maging new normal ang delayed na pasahod o benepisyo,’’ she said, (First, our health workers, then our teachers. It is not right to make as new normal the delayed salaries or benefits of teachers.)

Hontiveros said such delays amounts to ‘’a blatant case of exploitation and violation of our labor laws.’’

‘’Hindi kailanman magiging tama ang kumontrata ng mga empleyado at hindi sila bayaran sa serbisyong kanilang ipinuhunan. Pinagtrabahuhan nila ang perang iyon, gamit ang kanilang talento at sariling resources, with outputs delivered on time, kaya walang makataong rason para madelay ang kanilang sweldo,’’ she stressed. (It is never right to contract the services of employees and not pay for their services. They worked for their salaries, they used their talents and resources with outputs delivered on time. So there is no humane reason to delay their salaries.)

“When the Department of Education assured the public that the quality of education is not compromised amid shift to non-traditional modes of learning, perhaps, it should also look after the welfare of its teachers and other teaching professionals and ensure that they do not end up to be the collateral damage, Hontiveros said.

‘’Ang bagong sistema ng edukasyon ay pahirap na para sa mga guro, huwag na nating dagdagan pa ang bigat na kanilang dinadala,’’ she added. (The new education system is a burden to our teachers, let us not add to their difficulties.)