Lawmaker wants wage hike, more benefits for teachers

MANILA, Philippines – Marikina City Rep. Romero Quim-bo sought yesterday the immediate passage of a bill seeking to grant a P15,000 across-the-board salary increase and other benefits to public school teachers.

Quimbo, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, earlier filed House Bill 5137, which seeks to grant public school teachers a P15,000 salary increase regardless of their employment status and position.

The measure also seeks to grant a one-year income tax exemption for newly hired teachers, and create a pension fund separate and distinct from the Government Service Insurance System.

“If genuine exclusive growth is to be realized, certain investments must be made in order to improve the quality of education in the country, through prioritization of those who are directly engaged in educating the nation’s youth,” Quimbo said.

He said he felt compelled to file the bill as existing laws remain unresponsive to the public school teachers’ plight of enduring measly salaries, which are further reduced by increasing cost of living and inflation.

Quimbo said even the enactment of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, their social and economic status as well as living and working conditions have not improved, and in many aspects, have worsened.