Teachers have the unique power to transform society
BEYOND BUDGET
Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
On Oct. 5, our nation joined the international community in observing World Teacher's Day, the culmination of our National Teacher's Month celebration. The global theme, “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage,” highlighted the exigency of halting the loss of teachers while encouraging their retention and augmentation. This is consistent with our month-long observance led by the Department of Education (DepEd), aptly themed “Together4Teachers,” which recognized our teachers’ essential contributions to creating globally-competitive citizens, fostering strong family ties, bolstering vibrant and cohesive communities, and developing a prosperous country.
I believe that education, skills, and talent fuel the development of our country. For our nation to grow, we need teachers who provide the dedication, hard work, and passion pivotal in forming students' minds and encouraging them to be the best versions of themselves.
At the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), we value and honor our educators, who relentlessly guide students to achieve the aspirations and development objectives of our nation. Teachers build the fabric of our society, acting as mentors, second parents, and role models. Our hearts go out to teachers who defy extreme challenges and go the extra mile, especially those in remote and underserved areas, ensuring children and the youth are given education. When the pandemic struck, their spirit remained undaunted, holding classes even under limiting conditions. And during elections, they serve on the frontlines, sacrificing their time and effort to preserve our country's democracy.
I wholeheartedly concur with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s (PBBM) assertion that education remains a priority in accordance with the Constitution and our Eight-Point Socioeconomic Agenda to address learning losses brought on by the pandemic. In fact, for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the education sector is appropriated with ₱856.97 billion, translating to a 10.8 percent increase from its 2022 appropriation.
A report published by World Bank (WB) in September 2023 revealed that our education spending as percent of total budget in 2019 or the latest pre-pandemic data, 17.5 percent, is higher than Thailand (13.7 percent) and Indonesia (17.3 percent), but slightly lower than Malaysia (17.7 percent). However, in terms of learning poverty rate or the percentage of children who cannot comprehend an age 10-appropriate text, ours stands at 91 percent, the lowest of the ASEAN-5, excluding Singapore. To address this, the WB recommends “fostering systemic improvements and supporting all teachers.”
With this, we align with the DepEd’s MATATAG agenda, emphasizing the welfare of both students and teachers, in addition to the curriculum's relevancy and the quick and effective delivery of education.
Advancing the welfare of teachers
Thus, in the proposed FY 2024 National Budget, the DBM has allocated ₱38.63 billion for career advancement and allowances to alleviate the difficult working conditions of over 900,000 public school teachers under DepEd. Of this, we allotted ₱2.16 billion for the training program to foster the professional advancement of personnel in schools and learning centers, as well as teaching personnel who serve managerial, supervisory, and administrative functions under the agency.
To equip teachers and enhance their teaching capabilities, the DepEd Computerization Program is allocated with ₱8.9 billion for the procurement of 1,410 eLearning cart packages for learners, 5,818 smart TV packages, 6,900 and 4,001 laptops for teachers and non-teaching personnel, respectively, and various ICT equipment for the MATATAG Center to be established in 2024. We have also increased the budget for textbooks and other instructional materials for the provision of learning packages, learning resources for Library Hubs, and printing and delivery of textbooks and Teachers’ Manual corresponding to the new curriculum for Kinder, Grades 1, 4, and 7.
Additionally, a total of ₱26.10 billion will fund new school personnel positions — ₱5.47 billion for the creation of 20,000 teaching positions and ₱20.63 billion to fill 37,813 vacant teaching positions.
During the 2022 presidential campaign, PBBM emphasized the need to reduce non-academic workload for teachers. This ensures the quality of teaching delivery, as it enables teachers’ peak performance and protects their mental health. In response to the President's directive, the DBM approved the creation of 5,000 non-teaching positions in various DepEd schools nationwide, which consists of 3,500 Administrative Officer II positions to relieve teachers of administrative tasks, and 1,500 Project Development Officer I as personnel complement.
Further, an allocation of ₱4.83 billion in cash allowances — or ₱5,000 per classroom teacher for every school year — shall augment expenses for teaching supplies and materials, communication, and annual medical examination. Meanwhile, another ₱374.98 million will provide for the Alternative Learning System (ALS)-Transportation and Teaching Aid Allowance for ALS coordinators and implementers; ₱3.77 billion for the Special Hardship Allowance, as additional compensation to teachers assigned in schools categorized as “hardship areas” or where commuting is difficult, among other hazards peculiar to the place of employment; ₱912.26 million for World Teacher’s Day Incentive; and ₱482.06 million as honoraria for teaching overload, to compensate teachers whose teaching load exceeds six hours per day of actual classroom teaching.
Beyond budget, teachers are catalysts for growth and continuous improvement. They promote involvement in national affairs, mold the youth, and lead in the transformation of our society. Their role is crucial in our bid to establish a Bagong Pilipinas where discipline, excellence, and patriotism are the norm. The administration of PBBM not only recognizes their contributions to improving education but vows to provide the support they need to fully utilize their skills, knowledge, and passion in enriching the future of their profession, shaping learners’ brilliant minds, and building a sustainable and future-ready nation.
(Amenah F. Pangandaman is the current Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management.)