Government urged to improve teachers’ working conditions

MANILA, Philippines — As President Marcos signs into law today the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, which doubles public school educators’ teaching supplies allowance, teachers’ groups yesterday called on the government to take more decisive steps to improve teachers’ working conditions.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) hailed the passage of the bill, which raises the teaching supplies allowance from P5,000 to P10,000 starting this coming school year, saying that teachers have long been spending hard-earned money for school expenses that should have been provided by the government.

“Every year, we pull out a lot from our pockets to repair and renovate classrooms and even students’ learning materials, so it is a big deal for public teachers to raise our teaching supplies allowance. It would be an even bigger thing if the salaries of teachers and staff could be raised to a decent and viable level, which we have been calling for continuously,” ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said in a statement.

The ACT campaigned and lobbied for increased teaching supplies allowance for teachers, with ACT-Teachers party-list representatives through the years pushing to increase the teaching supplies allowance from P700 in 2012.

Marcos is scheduled to sign the bill into law today at Malacañang.

Meanwhile, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) expressed its gratitude for the new measure, but stressed how P10,000 would not be enough to cover much of what public school teachers need for teaching supplies.

TDC chairman Benjo Basas explained that the P10,000 annual allowance would fall short of the expensive needs of teachers such as laptops, internet connection, printers and other needs that “force us to spend from our own pockets.”

“Although it is a small amount compared to the teachers’ needs, it will also help reduce the burden of our daily teaching expenses,” Basas said.

The TDC vowed to continue campaigning for a salary increase, with more than 30 versions of such proposals currently pending in both houses of Congress.

“If we can talk to the President tomorrow, we will ask him to address these proposals, which are also part of his 2022 campaign promise,” Basas said.

The ACT also reiterated its call for a salary increase, including P50,000 entry-level pay for teachers, P33,000 salary for SG1 employees, SG16 for Instructor 1 in state universities and colleges, and P33,000 national minimum wage for all workers.