Teachers’ group to stage protest today vs ‘meager’ wage hike

CEBU, Philippines - Members of the Teachers Dignity Coalition in Cebu are set to stage a protest tomorrow against what they call a measly salary increase proposal for teachers.

Anabelle dela Cerna, TDC vice chairwoman for the Visayas, said two main concerns would be raised during the rally: the salary standardization, and the rectification of salary scheme or grade.

Dela Cerna said the teachers’ salary should be increased to P10,000 across the board.

“The proposed increase is further creating disparity of the salaries of the rank and file. This, the government has to standardize salaries and not by position,” she said.

She also claimed that the salary grade is “erroneous.”

She explained that the teachers’ salary grade should be 14 not 11, which means that the increase of salary should be 20.44 percent or P4,711, as opposed to the proposed 11.89 percent or P2,205.

The P2,205 increase in four years is given to a Teacher I, under the Malacañang proposal embodied in House Bill 6268 for the “Salary Standardization Law of 2015” (SSL 2015)

Dela Cerna said this increase amounts to a mere P24 in additional finances a day for the ordinary public school teacher.

She compared the 12 percent increase in a Teacher I’s salary (Salary Grade 11) to the 233 percent increase in the president’s basic pay. Under the proposed law, the highest salary grade (SG 33) will receive P388,000, up from the current P120,000.

“Barya-barya nga lang mali pa. Yung increase para lang limos basta masabi lang na nag-increase ng sweldo,” she said.

Yesterday, public school teachers allied with the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Cebu Province wore black shirts yesterday to express their dismay over the “meager” increase.

“Nag-wear mi og black kay dakon’g binuang ug pangilad sa mga empleyado sa gobyerno ang SSL 2015 ni Aquino. Dili ni igo nga increase kay nahulog lamang nga P18.38 matag adlaw gani dili pa jud ni net kay naa pay tax gahuwat,” said ACT-7 President Antonia Lim.

President Benigno Aquino III is pushing for the passage of the salary hike plan for government employees, including both teaching and non-teaching personnel at the Department of Education (DepEd).

The four year P226-billion Salary Standardization Law (SSL) of 2015 seeks to increase the basic monthly salaries of 1.53 million state workers and military personnel on the average by 27 percent, while the 14th month pay will be further raised by eight percent. The enhanced PBB is equivalent to one to two months’ salary or an average of 10 percent increase in salary.

The bill was already passed on second reading Wednesday in the House of Representatives.  — Kristine B. Quintas/ATO (FREEMAN)