Free housing for public school teachers sought

MANILA, Philippines — Public school teachers may soon have access to free housing, if a measure filed in the Senate hurdles Congress.

Senator Mark Villar filed the proposed “Teachers’ Home in School Act” to address what he described as the heavy toll of long and costly commutes, especially for those assigned to remote communities.

“Marami sa ating mga guro ang nagsisilbi sa pinakamalalayong komunidad, kadalasang malayo sa kanilang pamilya at nagrerenta lamang ng mumunting kwarto upang makalapit sa kanilang mga estudyante,” Villar said. “Ang panukalang ito ay tungkol sa pagbibigay sa kanila ng ligtas at disenteng tirahan habang ginagampanan nila ang kanilang dakilang tungkulin.”

The bill seeks to establish safe and decent living facilities inside or near public schools, particularly in areas where teachers struggle with limited housing options.

Based on data from the Department of Education (DepEd), some 20.8 million students are enrolled in public schools for the 2024–2025 school year. To meet growing demand, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has also approved the creation of 16,000 new teaching positions for 2025–2026.

If passed into law, the DepEd will work with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to build the housing units. Funding will come from the DepEd’s budget and additional allocations from the Special Education Fund, sourced from local governments’ real property taxes.

Villar emphasized that providing teachers with decent housing is not just about welfare but also about strengthening education.

“Kapag inuuna natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga guro, tunay tayong namumuhunan sa kinabukasan ng ating mga anak at ng ating bansa,” he said.