Makati City Mayor Abby Binay on Thursday, October 3, underscored the importance of providing teachers with better facilities and benefits to support them in further honing the educational skills of the nation's youth.
Mayor Abby Binay
Binay made the statement during the celebration of World Teachers' Day together with other Metro Manila Mayors.
“We must ensure that our teachers are equipped with the necessary tools and resources and surrounded by a community that values and supports their invaluable work. By doing so, we are investing in the future of our children, communities, and nation,” Binay said.
In August, the mayor announced that the city government has already expanded and improved the benefits of Makati's public school teachers regardless if they are residents or not.
"The city has been extending a wide range of benefits covering both personal and professional aspects of development for teachers as well as non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education in Makati (DepEd Makati)," she explained.
Aside from giving teachers access to the city's comprehensive medical benefits under the Makati Health Program or Yellow Card, the local government unit (LGU) said it has also been providing financial benefits to both teaching and non-teaching DepEd Makati personnel.
“Every year, the city government allocates a budget for various financial incentives for Makati public school teachers, including additional allowances for teachers in the special education (SPED) and Alternative Learning System (ALS) programs,” the local chief executive said.
For this year, Binay's administration has allotted P103.5 million for various incentives given to DepEd Makati employees.
For their P3,000-monthly allowance, the city has allocated P77.5 million for public school teachers, P5.2 million for teaching-related staff, and P4.3 million for non-teaching personnel.
The city also earmarked P14.5 million for their fringe benefit of P6,000 given in December.
SPED teachers are also given a P2,500 monthly allowance from an allocation of P1.95 million in this year’s budget of the city.
Under ALS, school heads receive P3,500 while instructional managers get P3,000 monthly from the city.
Makati City also supports Asatidz teachers or those who teach Arabic language and Islamic Values Education to Muslim students, with a monthly allowance of P4,500.
On the other hand, preschool teachers receive a P5,000 chalk allowance for the year to cover the costs of special teaching materials needed for a conducive learning environment.
"Through its Special Education Fund, the city has allocated nearly P15 million for the Teacher Effectiveness and Competence Honing (TEACH) program, which offers opportunities for teachers to pursue executive and specialized courses at selected partner-universities in Metro Manila," the mayor said.
"Since 2019, the city has been distributing customized teacher’s kits every October in line with Teachers’ Month celebration. In 2019, the teachers' kit contained a Bluetooth speaker, wireless presenter, tumbler, Teacher's Plan and Students Data Record, First Aid kit, Makatizen pouch with school supplies, notepad, 64GB flash drive, voice amplifier, laptop bag, and a Makatizen jacket. The succeeding kits contained more teaching aids and freebies such as gift certificates for meals, salon and spa services, and P1,500 worth of groceries," she noted.