A group on Monday, May 19, acknowledged the approval of 16,000 new teaching positions by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as a welcome step forward—but said it remains far from enough to resolve the ongoing education crisis in the country.
Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
16,000 new teacher positions significant but 'far from enough,' says group
Philippines
National
16,000 new teacher positions significant but 'far from enough,' says group
16,000 new teacher positions significant but 'far from enough,' says group
Published May 19, 2025 10:52 pm
The approval of 16,000 new teaching positions is a significant step, but it is still far from enough, according to the Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC). (DepEd / file photo)
Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) National Chairperson Benjo Basas emphasized that while the move is significant, it addresses less than half of the urgent need identified by the Department of Education (DepEd), which reported a shortage of over 50,000 teachers last year.
“It is clear that this is still far from enough,” Basas said. “This means that not even half of the need is being addressed—and that’s just based on DepEd’s own standard,” he added.
Basas pointed out that when measured against the internationally accepted 1:35 teacher-student ratio, the “gap becomes even more alarming.”
Meanwhile, he called on President Marcos to demonstrate strong political will and prioritize education in response to what he described as a long-standing crisis in the sector.
He also urged newly elected lawmakers to take meaningful action in correcting what he called the “neglect committed by past Congresses.”
The TDC emphasized that the 1987 Constitution mandates education as the top budgetary priority—something that must be reflected in the 2025 national budget.
The group called for the removal of dole-out provisions in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2025 and the government’s "excessive fixation" on infrastructure projects—both of which, they argued, are highly vulnerable to corruption and patronage politics.
“The people’s money must be spent where it is truly needed, and that is in building a free, accessible, and quality public education system,” Basas said.
The TDC reiterated that public funds must be directed toward building a free, accessible, and high-quality public education system, which they say is both a constitutional mandate and a moral responsibility to Filipino learners and educators.
“This is not just a legal requirement—it is a moral duty to our learners, teachers, and the citizens in general,” Basas stressed.