A group on Sunday, June 2, expressed anticipation of the signing of the law granting an increase in the annual teaching allowance for public school teachers.

In a statement, The Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) welcomed the signing of the law granting a P10,000 teaching allowance annually for those who teach in public schools.

The bill, approved by the House of Representatives as HB 9682 and the Senate as SB 1964, will be signed by President Marcos on June 3.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/31/group-welcomes-passage-of-bill-doubling-teaching-supplies-allowance

“Bagamat maliit na halaga kumpara sa pangangailangan ng mga guro, makatutulong na rin ito upang mabawasan ang bigat ng gastusin sa araw-araw naming pagtuturo (Although it is a small amount compared to the needs of teachers, it will still help to lessen the burden of expenses in our daily teaching), said TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas.

TDC said it is one of the organizations that actively pushed for the passage of the law and consistently participated in the congressional hearings in the House and Senate.

Basas, along with some leaders of the TDC and other organizations, are among the official guests at Malacañang tomorrow to witness the ceremonial signing.

The anticipated law, to be known as the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, will provide public school teachers with a tax-free P10,000 Teaching Allowance beginning in the school year (SY) 2025-2026.

For the SY 2024-2025, however, teachers will receive the current amount of P5,000.

‘Falls short’

Basas, who is also a Caloocan City teacher, said the P10,000 annual allowance “falls short” of meeting the teachers' needs to fulfill teaching requirements.

For Basas, the P10,000 allowance a year is “not enough” because almost all of the teachers’ needs --- including laptop, internet connection, printer, and others --- are taken from their own pockets.

“Gayunpaman, nagpapasalamat pa rin kami dahil ang batas na ito ay produkto ito ng sama-samang pakikilahok ng mga guro at pakikipagtulungan ng mga mambabatas (Nevertheless, we are still grateful because this law is a product of the collective participation of teachers and the cooperation of lawmakers),” Basas said.

TDC explained that public school teachers engaged in actual teaching previously received a similar allowance, known as the chalk allowance, which slowly increased to P3,500 in 2020 and was renamed Cash Allowance.

Since 2021, the allowance has also covered internet and communication expenses, as well as the supposedly free annual medical examination of teachers, for a total of P5,000.

While the TDC recognized the increase in the Teaching Allowance, the group vowed to continue campaigning for a salary increase --- with more than 30 versions of such proposals currently pending in both houses of Congress.

“Kung makakausap namin ang Pangulo bukas, hihilingin namin na tugunan niya ang mga panukalang ito na bahagi rin naman ng kanyang pangako noong 2022 ("If we can talk to the President tomorrow, we will ask him to address these proposals, which are also part of his promise in 2022),” Basas said.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/27/teachers-urge-marcos-to-fulfill-promise-on-salary-increase