DepEd told: Teachers only speaking up for delayed performance-based bonus
MANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Concerned Teachers has slammed the Department of Education's warning against “shadowy” groups spreading “treacherous tales” amid teachers’ complaints of the delayed release of their performance-based bonus for 2021.
ACT’s national Capital Region chapter said in a statement Wednesday that teachers have “all the rights and reasons to complain about overly delayed benefits.”
“Finally, the DepEd has given an update, and, at last, it has reportedly submitted the requirements for the release of our benefits. We cannot understand, however, where its animosity to teachers who speak up for their rights is coming from, especially when the agency is yet to explain why there is delay in the release of our PBB 2021,” said Ruby Bernardo, chairperson of ACT - NCR.
This comes after DepEd issued a statement on Tuesday announcing that it has submitted the list of requirements for staff eligible to receive the bonus for assessment.
“We understand that it is undergoing assessment now, and we look forward to its release as soon as possible,” DepEd said.
The update, however, came with a warning urging DepEd personnel “not to fall into the treacherous tales intended to ignite distrust and anger against the agency” purportedly “whipped up by shadowy groups whose intentions to cause harm and destroy are disguised as concern.”
The PBB is a top-up incentive given to government employees based on their performance and contributions to the accomplishment of their department’s overall targets and commitments.
Bernardo said that it is the responsibility of teacher unions to monitor and call attention to potential labor rights violations among its members, including delays in compensation.
“We noticed through the years that the release of the PBB keeps getting pushed back for longer periods of time, which is why we’re calling attention to it,” Bernardo said in Filipino.
Based on ACT-NCR’s monitoring since 2013, DepEd employees typically receive their PBB after one or two years from the year it should be released:
- PBB 2013 - released in January 2015
- PBB 2014 - released in September 2015
- PBB 2015 - released in December 2016
- PBB 2016 - released in March 2018
- PBB 2017 - released in February 2019
- PBB 2018 - released in April 2020
- PBB 2019 - released in June 2021
- PBB 2020 - released in February 2022
- PBB 2021 - still processing as of April 19, 2023
“As such, It is only our duty to demand an explanation and an improvement in the system,” Bernardo said. – Cristina Chi
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