Pinuno Party-list Rep. Howard Guintu has filed House Bill (HB) 1041, or the proposed “Free On-Site Living Quarters for Public School Teachers Act".
“This bill will address the problems of our public school teachers who need to travel through mountainous regions for long hours just to reach their designated schools,” Guintu said on Friday, July 8.
In his bill's explanatory note, Guintu says he filed the bill to alleviate the burden of teachers who face long, arduous commutes on a day-to-day basis amid the rising costs of fuel and basic necessities.
His proposed legislation also will not distinguish between teachers who are new hires or transferees versus regular employees.
Funds will be siphoned from the Department of Education’s (DepEd) existing purse, while additional funding will be sourced from the Special Education Fund which in turn is collected by local government units (LGUs) from real property taxes.
The bill directs the DepEd, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to promulgate and implement the legislation and its rules.
Guintu, in his statement, cited Republic Act (RA 11466) or the Salary Standardization Law of 2019. As per the law, public school teachers with a rank of Teacher 1 earn about P25,439 every month.
“Providing a safe and livable environment for our public school teachers will help improve their employment and working conditions,” he concluded.