Teacher's group vows to fight for benefits

A teacher's organization vowed to be more vigilant in pressuring the government for the long delayed benefits of the public school teachers in the province.

Association of Concerned Teachers-Cebu Chapter yesterday made formal its resurgence after having been silent for a few years.

Attended by more than 50 teachers representing elementary and high schools from as far as Badian town, the province-wide consultative meeting of ACT-Cebu resulted to a unified decision to exert all efforts to improve their sorry state.

Mentioned in particular, was the P3,000 across-the-board salary increase and the back payment of the Cost of Living Allowance.

Lawyer Democrito Barcenas, who was yesterday's keynote speaker told organizers and participants of Act-Cebu that the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City chapter has approved a resolution supporting the goals of the organization.

It has been almost 10 years that the teachers had an increase in their salary.

"Teaching which is the noblest in profession yet our public school teachers are the most oppressed, exploited and abused in our society," Barcenas said.

The Supreme Court already gave a ruling in 2004 that all government employees who had served from 1989 to 1999 are entitled for back payment of COLA.

The grant of COLA was not implemented as it lacked publishing requirements which was done only in May 2004.

Last September 19 Malacañang issued a memorandum ordering the release of P1 billion as initial back payment of COLA, but barely a month later it released another memorandum which was meant to study the implications of the latter.

The Department of Budget and Management also issued a circular declaring the illegality of COLA payment but the effectivity of the SC decision led to the release of COLA to several government organizations.

"Money is already available according to the Memorandum with the P1 billion release so why prolong the payment to our dear public school teachers," said ACT-Cebu organizing committee head Dexter Flores. Ferliza C. Contratista-