Protests to greet school opening

MANILA, Philippines - A militant teachers’ group will stage simultaneous protest actions across the country coinciding with the opening of classes in public schools on Monday to press the government to raise the salaries of teachers.

Benjie Valbuena, national chairman of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), also warned that public school teachers will go on mass leave should the Department of Education (DepEd) disapprove their demand for a salary hike for 2015.

“We are just giving way to the appeal of Bro. Armin Luistro for a dialogue and that they are supportive to our call for a salary increase for teachers and non-teaching staff. Bro. Armin’s pronouncement must be clear and documented. We are not contented with mere pronouncements,” Valbuena said.

ACT urged DepEd to increase the basic salary of teaching personnel from P18,549 to P25,000 per month and the non-teaching staff to P15,000 from P9,000 per month.

The last salary increase received by teachers was in June 2012.

Currently, a Teacher I receives P18,549 monthly, Teacher II gets P19,940 and Teacher III takes home P21,436.

The proposed increases in salaries are stipulated in House Bill 245 authored by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio.

“We are also challenging Bro. Armin to campaign for the immediate passage of HB 245 if he is really supporting our demand,” Valbuena added.

Luistro said the DepEd “is open to any options that will further improve the benefits of our teachers.”

“We welcome the call of our teachers to increase their salaries. However, this will involve adjustments in the salary grade of all civil servants and changes in the budget. The 2014 budget has already been set, so any changes will be for 2015,” he added.

Presently, Luistro said, teachers also receive the following allowances and benefits: Personnel Economic Relief Allowance of P2,000; uniform allowance, P5,000; yearend bonus equivalent to one month basic salary; cash gift amounting to P5,000; and chalk allowance of P1,000 a year, among others.

“DepEd does not decide the salary grade, Congress does. We’re not against raising their salaries; it’s not our decision to make,” DepEd Assistant Secretary Jesus Mateo said, adding that students should be kept out of the issue.