Teachers ask DepEd to 'reimburse P300-communication allowance to all'

“It's measly and yet so difficult to get it.”

This is the complaint of teachers regarding the communication expenses reimbursement worth P300 a month for those who performed the duties from March to December this year.

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), a 30,000-strong group, said that it has been getting calls about the diffculty in reimbursing the communication allowance as announced by the Department of Education (DepEd).

"We share the sentiments of our fellow teachers about the policy of DepEd on reimbursing the communication expenses,” said TDC secretary-general Emmalyn Policarpio said in Filipino.

In December, Education Secretary Leonor Briones -- through DepEd Order no. 38 s. of 2020 -- issued the guidelines authorizing payment of communication expenses of the DepEd personnel relative to the implementation of the alternative work arrangements for the year 2020.

Based on the guidelines, both teaching and non-teaching personnel of DepEd are allowed to reimburse up to P300 per month for the communication expenses incurred while they were working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The said guidelines for reimbursing communication expenses will retroactively take effect and cover the period of nine months from March 16 to Dec.. 16, 2020.

“We are happy because there will be P300 allocated for our expenses even though the amount is little,” Policarpio said. “However, we are appealing not to make the reimbursement process hard for our teachers,” she added.

As per DepEd’s guidelines, heads of offices should “issue a certification” which identifies their personnel who are authorized to claim reimbursement of communication expenses. They also need to affirm that these expenses “were incurred in the performance of their official duties and responsibilities.”

Aside from the certification, the DepEd employees who wish to reimburse their communication expenses are also being required to submit “proof of purchase or payment” such as official receipts for the purchase of the prepaid load, payment of postpaid line or internet subscription under their name.

“Scanned copies or screenshots of confirmation of mobile e-load bearing the reference number and mobile number of the claimant may also be submitted as proof,” DepEd said.

However, Policarpio noted that some teachers are having difficulties to present the requirements needed. “We’re being asked to look for receipts at the loading station or store starting from the month of March, how can we get that? If we can't produce these, does this mean that we could no longer reimburse what we spent?” she added.

TDC specifically identified that teachers who may no longer get reimbursement are those who only load pre-paid data in stores and those who only share the internet and pay neighbors. Reimbursement will also be hard for teachers whose Internet or phone connection in their homes are not registered under their names.

Given this, TDC urged DepEd to just grant the P300-communication reimbursement to all. Policarpio pointed out that since since all teachers are spending for calls, sending text messages and Facebook messages to their students and their parents -- apart from online meetings, webinars, downloading of forms and other Internet-related activities -- they should all be entitled for the reimbursement.

“In fact, P300 a month is not enough because some of us spend as much as P2,000 every month under distance learning,” Policarpio said. “If DepEd really wants to help us to reduce the burden of expenses, please do not make reimbursement difficult for us -- just give it to everyone."

Meanwhile, TDC reiterated its earlier demand that government should provide laptops and shoulder internet expenses of teachers since these are utmost requirements needed under the current education setup.