The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has lauded the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for fixing at 25 per cent of the basic salary the monthly Special Hardship Allowance (SHA) of public school teachers and school heads or administrators.
Previously, the SHA ranged from 15 to 25 per cent of their basic salary. It is given to elementary and secondary school teachers and school heads who are exposed to “extreme difficulties and hazards” in carrying out their tasks.
CHR Spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said the SHA is a "commendable step" in showing teachers and school heads that the government is fully supporting its education personnel.
De Guia said: "Teachers are at the heart of efforts to fulfill the right to education and ensure that no one is left behind. Providing sufficient support and compensation for our teachers are essential in enabling them to consistently provide quality education to students."
SHA is implemented through the Joint Circular No. 1 issued in 2021. The Joint Circular amended the National Budget Circular 514 issued in 2007.
Teachers in pure multi-grade schools, mobile teachers, and non-formal education or Alternative Learning System (ALS) coordinators can also avail themselves of the SHA.
"This move by the DepEd in partnership with the DBM is a concrete way to honor teachers, particularly those who embraced assignments and roles that are difficult and hazardous," De Guia said.
"It is also notable that the issuance lessened the burden of teachers by requiring only DTR (daily time record) as a requirement for the grant of the allowance due them,” she said.
The SHA provides a "financial cushion" for teachers who go above and beyond their responsibilities just to ensure that Filipino children receive a proper education, she stressed.
By increasing their allowance, the government is giving them a "tangible tribute and salutation" for their sacrifices, especially in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, she said.
The CHR is urging the government to provide similar benefits to other workers, she added.