The Department of Education (DepEd) said that it continues to address the concerns being raised by teachers and other personnel despite having to deal with criticisms coming from various quarters.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, during Tuesday’s “Laging Handa” briefing, said that the department remains committed to addressing the challenges and concerns faced by its personnel, particularly on benefits and incentives.
“Meron na batas sa 2021 national budget na dadagdagan ang communication allowance (In the 2021 national budget, there is additional provision on communication allowance),” Briones said in response to queries on communication expenses and other reimbursement for teachers.
Last Jan. 26, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines staged a protest at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City to demand financial aid and address the concerns of teachers on benefits, among others.
In particular, the group is asking the agency to reimburse the P300 monthly communication expenses reimbursement for 2020, the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) 2020, Performance Based Bonus (PBB) 2019, and P1,500 monthly Internet allowance.
DepEd Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla said that the P300 monthly communication reimbursement policy is already implemented by DepEd through DepEd Order 38, Series of 2020. “Procedures for reimbursement such as liquidation report is a requirement/process being followed by DepEd as mandated in the General Accounting and Auditing Manual,” she explained.
On the SRI, Sevilla explained that this 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.
However, Sevilla noted that the funding source for SRI is chargeable to pooled savings of (the) agency and not a fund readily available or as additional funding. This should also be “uniformly” shared by all eligible employees.
“DepEd was able to identify savings within its 2020 budget and was divided to almost one million employees which resulted (in) a grant of SRI at P6,190 (for each) employee,” she added.
On the matter of the 2019 PBB, Sevilla explained that there is an “ongoing evaluation, validation, and accreditation” not by DepEd but by a body authorized for it which is the AO 25 Task Force. “If DepEd is found eligible for PBB 2019, DBM (Department of Budget and Management) will release the PBB funds directly to the DepEd Regional Offices,” she ended.