Letter to the Editor – More than just remembering our heroes

While government chooses to be spendthrift on myopic economic relief programs, it delays in affording long-term solutions to the worsening poverty of its people in the face of unabated skyrocketing of prices of commodities. Among those greatly affected are public school teachers whose labor has been undervalued if not undermined.

For years public school teachers have to live with dilapidated if not lacking classrooms, defective textbooks and overcrowded campuses on a full daily workload. All these result from the meager budget allocation intended by government to the education sector.

Not only deprived of the necessary academic climate and infrastructure in their instruction, teachers have for the longest time been deprived of their rightful share of recognition in their progressive contribution to society - nurturing and honing the young minds that would inherit the present generation.

Instead of reaffirmation to the social role of teachers, the House of Representatives still considers on whether or not the former deserve a legislated wage hike; whether or not now is the time to grant them what is rightfully due them; whether or not it is to the public's interest to ameliorate the hardworking teacher's humble pay.

The Teachers' Dignity Coalition-Cebu (TDC-Cebu) demands in unequivocal terms a P9,000 legislated wage hike to allow teachers to cope with the rising cost of living. The last legislated salary increase dates back to 1989 with the succeeding frugal increases done by way of executive orders. Under the Arroyo Administration, public school teachers have been afforded an aggregate sum of P2,086 to their basic pay of P9,939.

With a 17 year-high inflation rate pegged at 12.2 as of August 2008, a teacher's hard-earned income can do very little to make ends meet for him/her and his/her family. Hence, instead of recognition, the government by prolonging the already protracted discussions on a legislated salary increase for public teachers has tolerated and perpetuated the misery of the 'sirs' and 'ma'ams' of the public educational institutions. Present legislative proposals for a salary increase have been preceded by similar measures of 10th Congress vintage.

As the nation venerates the heroism of the patriots of the past who sacrificed life and limb for the country's independence and nationhood, it is worth contemplating what the State intends to do with the unsung heroes of the modern day. To celebrate the selfless dedication of the latter in the fashion that heroes of the bygone era are remembered nowadays would be nothing short of a tragedy if the State fails to give them more than just the benefit of being remembered.

More than anything, a fitting tribute to the 'sirs' and 'ma'ams' for their restless commitment to serve would be to justly approximate the value of their labor. Only then would a heroes day be meaningful to the people for whose contributions to society the country wishes to acknowledge.

Benjo Basas
National Chairperson
Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC)