Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said he is confident the new law that increases the teaching supplies allowance of teachers will help them perform their duties better.

Angara, one of the authors of the law, thanked President Marcos for supporting the measure which he said is highly anticipated by the country’s public school teachers.

President Marcos signed the measure into law on Monday, June 3, 2024.

“Increasing the teaching supplies allowance or the chalk allowance will result in fewer instances when teachers have to make out of pocket expenses in the performance of their duties,” Angara said in a statement.

“Our overworked and underpaid educators should always be supported and initiatives such as these will go a long way in showing our appreciation of what they do for our children’s development,” the senator further said.

Angara, former chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, recalled that under the 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA), a total of P3.25-billion was allocated for the P3,500 teaching supplies allowance for over 930,000 teachers.

It was raised to P5,000 starting 2021 even before the institutionalization of the grant of these funds.

With the new law, the teaching supplies allowance would go up to P10,000 annually for all public school teachers. The amount is not subject to income tax.

Furthermore, the amount would cover the purchase of tangible and intangible teaching supplies and materials, payment of incidental expenses, and the implementation or conduct of various learning delivery modalities.

“Nakita natin na napakaliit talaga ng halaga na binibigay sa ating mga guro noong mga nakaraang mga taon (We have seen that very little value is given to our teachers in recent years),” Angara said.

“Sa loon ng isang dekada ay nasa P700 hanggang P3,500 lang ang chalk allowance kaya hindi na kataka-taka na kinakailangan pa lagi na mag abono ang mga guro para lang makabili ng mga kagamitan na kailangan nila sa pagturo (Within a decade, the chalk allowance was only P700 to P3,500 so it is not surprising that teachers are still required to donate just to buy the equipment they need for teaching)," he said.

“Sa bagong batas na pinirmahan ay mas makatarungan na ang halaga para sa teaching supplies allowance. Ito ay bahagi ng pagbibigay halaga natin sa mahalagang trabahong ginagampanan ng ating mga guro para sa ating mga anak (With the new law that was signed, the amount for the teaching supplies allowance is more fair. This is part of our valuing the important work our teachers perform for our children),” the senator added.

Under the law, the Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), is mandated to come up with the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), within 60 days from the approval of the law.