Teachers' pay hike to start this month

CEBU, Philippines – Over 36,000 teachers in Central Visayas will receive increased basic salary effective this month as the Department of Education succeeded in pushing for the implementation of the National Budget Circular No. 521.

Circular No. 521 refers to the Implementation of the First Tranche Monthly Salary Schedule of Civilian Personnel and Base Pay Schedule of Military and Uniformed Personnel in the National Government as well as the modified position classification system issued by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya.

Under the Circular Annex B, the newly hired teachers who will be appointed as Teacher I under the re-allocated classes of positions will receive P14,198 as their basic salary compared to the previous basic salary of P13,333.

Other occupational services such as education, library, museum and archive service, school, college and university teaching group will get their share of increase based on their upgraded classes of positions.

In Central Visayas, there were 1,005 teachers hired last year who will benefit the pay increase. Over 2,000 more teachers are expected to be hired this year and receive the same upgraded pay.

DepEd-7 Director Recaredo Borgonia said the increase in salary will serve as a motivator for aspiring teachers or education graduates to pursue with their teaching career.

Borgonia said the new salary adjustment is aimed to improve the quality of education in the country.

He explained that compared to the salary offer by other professions, the teaching positions offer better salary and benefits because teachers only work five days a week, six hours a day and are entitled to 70-day vacation leave.

Borgonia said that thousands of applicants flooded the department each year but only those with high rankings are accepted. Although they wanted to hire more, he admitted that available positions remain limited.

The increased salary and the many benefits, Borgonia said, are seen to serve as motivator for aspiring teachers to qualify for a teaching position.

The new salary scheme for government workers, particularly, for public school personnel, would also boost their morale to work harder. — Jessica Ann Pareja/LPM (THE FREEMAN)