Amid the challenges brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a federation of teachers has renewed its call for President Duterte to fulfill his promise of “doubling” the salaries of educators.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), in a statement issued Wednesday, April 7, reiterated its call for the Duterte administration to “make good on its promise of doubling teachers’ salaries” amid high prices, raging pandemic, and costly distance learning - among others.
“More than 9 out of 10 public school teachers receive salaries that are way lower than the family cost of living,” ACT Secretary-General Raymond Basilio said. “This speaks volumes on how their families suffer with soaring prices amid the health and economic crisis, while they bear the brunt of the ill-funded distance learning program,” he added.
ACT reiterated its call after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on April 6 of the 4.5 percent inflation rate for the month of March - following the 4.2 percent and 4.7 percent inflation rates for January and February 2021, respectively.
Citing the “dire economic” conditions of teachers whose salaries could barely sustain basic necessities, distance learning expenses, and treatment of infected family members, ACT said that doubling their salaries would greatly help them in these challenging times.
ACT noted that the Independent think-tank Ibon Foundation pegged the monthly cost of living for a family of five at P31,920 in February 2021. “However, 93 percent of public school teachers hold the ranks of Teacher I, II, and III with 2021 monthly salaries between P23,877 to P30,547,” it added.
Basilio said that the Duterte administration has only one year left in power “but our educators have yet to see and feel the actual fulfillment of any of his promises.”
ACT has been pushing for the upgrading of Teacher I salaries to salary grade (SG) 15, as what was implemented for the Nurse I position in 2020; the upgrading of college Instructor I salaries to SG 16; and the setting of minimum P16,000 salaries for education support personnel.
“Our teachers are anguished by the constant neglect and betrayal of the Duterte administration,” Basilio said. “Amid the pandemic, we will continue to fight and demand for what we are owed,” he added.
In 2016, Duterte started doubling the salaries of military and police to fulfill his campaign promise. He then said that doubling the salaries of teachers “would be next.”