Amid the celebration of this year’s World Teachers' Day (WTD), Filipino educators on Saturday, Oct. 5, called on the government to urgently address the “systemic challenges” they have been facing for years.

Members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines staged a protest in Quezon City, denouncing President Marcos’ “indifference” to the plight of teachers and the chronic issues that plague the country’s education sector.

“Teachers grapple with salaries that fall below the family living wage, inadequate funding for education, and a host of other systemic issues,” ACT Secretary-General Raymond Basilio said.

He noted that teachers have been “forced” to reach into their own pockets to compensate for the “state's neglect” — all while managing oversized and dilapidated classrooms.

“Our working conditions are inhumane, and the benefits are meager,” Basilio said. “We are left to fend for ourselves as the government squanders public funds,” he added.

ACT reiterated its call for the government to take “decisive action” to uplift the quality of education and improve teachers' and education workers' living and working conditions.

Honoring teachers

Aside from the celebration of WTD, Oct. 5 also marks the National Teachers’ Day (NTD) and the culmination of the month-long National Teachers’ Month (NTM).

ACT commended Filipino teachers for playing a “crucial role” in shaping the future of the nation and guiding generations of youth toward knowledge, critical thinking, and civic responsibility.

“It is through their dedication and passion that we nurture the country’s future progressive leaders and change-makers,” ACT said. “Teachers are truly the cornerstone of nation-building,” the group added.

As Filipino teachers continue to struggle with meager salaries, overwork, and insufficient resources, ACT underscored the urgency of providing “better working conditions and dignified compensation” to ensure a “strong and effective” education system.

“The call for a significant salary increase for teachers, both in the public and private sectors, is not just a matter of fairness but a necessity,” ACT said.

The group emphasized that teachers deserve to be “adequately compensated” for their tireless work, which directly impacts the quality of education students receive.

“The government must listen to the call from the education sector and act decisively to address our teachers' and educators' economic hardships,” ACT added.

The group also underscored the importance of protecting academic freedom and human rights within schools and universities. “Upholding these freedoms ensures a healthy environment where students and educators alike can thrive,” the group said.

Push for salary hikes, teacher welfare

As the world celebrates WTD, the Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) also reiterated its call for better treatment of teachers in the country, particularly through the assurance of benefits and incentives.

Praises, entertaining celebrations, discounts, or freebies are not enough, according to TDC.

“Every day should be Teachers' Day, and we can do this through genuine recognition and appreciation of our profession,” said TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas.

At the top of teachers' wish list for this year's WTD is the enactment of a substantial salary increase.

“The salaries of teachers in our country are far too low compared to the demands of the job, the cost of living, and especially the value of our profession,” Basas said. “This is why almost every day, teachers are leaving for ‘greener pastures’ abroad to feel the value of their profession,” he added.

Teachers also expressed grievances over what they call “overregulation,” particularly in student discipline.

The TDC argued that discipline is indispensable in the classroom, and children need to learn discipline to effectively learn lessons.

"Unfortunately, existing policies classify nearly all forms of discipline as child abuse, rendering the ability to discipline children obsolete,” Basas said. “Teachers are always at a disadvantage,” he added.

Despite the challenges faced by Filipino teachers, Basas noted that they still find many reasons to celebrate WTD every year.

“Despite slow progress, there have been gradual improvements, partly due to today's higher level of teacher participation in advocacy and struggles,” Basas said.

DepEd told to ‘uphold rights’ of educators

For this year’s NTD celebration, the Department of Education (DepEd) organized an event at the Araneta Coliseum on Oct. 3.

The event, which gathered thousands of teachers, was attended by President Marcos. In his message, the President asked DepEd, under the leadership of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, to “continue improving the quality of education, uphold the rights of our teachers, and adapt to the ever-evolving needs of our economic landscape.”

Angara, during the event, reiterated the President's marching orders to take good care of public school teachers.

The day-long festivities at the Big Dome featured performances by various artists and celebrities.

Enough with the ‘empty’ promises

ACT, for its part, expressed disappointment in President Marcos’s recent remarks at DepEd’s 2024 NTD event.

For the group, the speech was “empty” and failed to acknowledge the immense sacrifices teachers make.

ACT said the President's speech was a “missed opportunity to address the real, pressing issues faced by our teachers.”

“While warm words and acknowledgments are appreciated, they do little to ease the burdens of teachers who are overworked, underpaid, and struggling under the weight of an education system in crisis,” ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said.

ACT emphasized that teachers continue to grapple with oversized classes, overwhelming workloads, inadequate classrooms and facilities, and insufficient teaching and learning resources.

“These challenges are not new, yet they persist and worsen, with no concrete and substantial solutions in sight,” Quetua said.

As the WTD, NTD, and NTM celebrations come to an end, ACT called on the government to prioritize education and genuinely support teachers.

“Empty rhetoric on World Teachers' Day is not enough,” Quetua said. “We demand concrete actions that will uplift the teaching profession and improve the quality of education in the country,” he added.