Citing the rising cost of living and the increasing demands of the profession, a group of teachers and education workers on Monday, April 28, renewed their call for a P50,000 monthly starting salary for educators.

In a statement, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines filed a petition to the President, reiterating their demand for a “substantial” salary increase, just days before Labor Day.

ACT, which has long campaigned for higher wages, argued that the current pay scale is insufficient to support teachers' needs and does not reflect the vital role they play in shaping the future of the nation.

The petition carried the signatures of hundreds of faculty clubs and associations, as well as thousands of teachers and education support personnel from across the country.

“This petition represents the collective voice of education workers who have been relegated to poverty wages despite our crucial role in education delivery,” said ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua.

“We call on the President to heed our just demands and demonstrate his commitment to education by ensuring that those who deliver it can live decently,” he added.

ACT lamented that after four years under Salary Standardization Law (SSL) VI, education workers have been “tied to paltry salary adjustments, receiving only an average annual daily increase of P20 to P50.”

“These pitiful raises have been quickly eroded by the relentless surge in the prices of basic goods and services, alongside increasing mandatory contributions,” Quetua said.

Fulfill the promise

ACT also reminded President Marcos to fulfill his promise during the 2022 election campaign to provide teachers with all the necessary support to help mold the younger generation into responsible and productive citizens.

“Nearly three years into his term, we have yet to see significant measures that meaningfully uplift our quality of life, which is crucial in addressing the worsening education crisis,” Quetua said.

Harsh reality

ACT highlighted the stark reality that, despite being overworked and under-resourced, many teachers are compelled to take on side jobs or accumulate debt just to cover their basic living expenses.

“At the same time, we are compelled to shoulder the costs of classroom needs, such as learning materials, maintenance, and repairs, out of our own meager salaries. This unjust burden stems directly from the chronic and deliberate neglect of the education sector,” Quetua said.

P50K starting salary

ACT reiterated its demand for a P50,000 monthly starting salary for teachers, P33,000 basic pay for Salary Grade 1 employees, Salary Grade 16 for Instructor I positions, and a P1,200 national family living wage for all workers.

For ACT, the administration's “Bagong Pilipinas”—the branding initiative of President Marcos' administration—will remain a “far-fetched and elusive promise for genuine economic and social transformation” if he “continues to turn a blind eye” to the plight of teachers, workers, and the Filipino people.