President Marcos has ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide a higher service recognition incentive (SRI) for public school teachers.
Marcos said the government aims to increase the SRI of an estimated 1,011,800 DepEd personnel from the current P18,000 to P20,000.
The SRI is a yearly financial incentive granted to government employees to recognize their commitment and dedication to quality and responsive public service.
According to Malacañang, this December, the President tasked the DBM and DepEd to explore budgetary measures to ensure the SRI increase for DepEd personnel can be implemented, while remaining mindful of fiscal responsibilities.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed his gratitude for the President’s directive, calling it a morale booster for the nation’s educators.
“This initiative underscores our shared goal of empowering teachers and reinforcing their critical role in shaping the future of Filipino learners,” Angara said.
Further announcements on the implementation and timeline for the increased SRI are expected as the DBM and DepEd finalize the necessary funding mechanisms.
In an interview on Tuesday, Dec. 10, Marcos emphasized the importance of increasing the SRI for public school teachers, describing them as a “special category.”
“Teachers are [a] special category. So we have to handle that individually,” he said.