MANILA, Philippines — Some 900,000 public school teachers will each receive P1,000 incentive without any delay as part of the celebration of World Teachers’ Day, a lawmaker said yesterday.
Makati Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said P910 million has been allotted by the government for the grant of World Teachers’ Day Incentive Benefit (WTDIB).
“The amount was funded in this year’s General Appropriations Act,” Campos said.
“We expect more teachers to receive the benefit next year. In fact, we have earmarked P925 million to pay for the WTDIB in the 2022 national budget,” he added.
Oct. 5 is observed every year as World Teachers’ Day.
The day marks the anniversary of the global adoption of a document that proclaimed the rights and responsibilities of teachers.
An intergovernmental conference in Paris adopted the document on Oct. 5, 1994.
The meeting was convened by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in cooperation with the International Labor Organization.
Campos, who sits as vice chairman of the House appropriations committee, co-sponsored the Department of Education (DepEd)’s budget during plenary deliberations on the proposed P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022.
He said a provision in the budget stipulates that public school teachers would be given P1,000 incentive during World Teachers’ Day celebration, subject to the guidelines issued by the DepEd.
Protest
Teachers staged a protest yesterday demanding better pay and benefits.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) led teachers in a protest action in Manila to press the government to respond to the sector’s urgent demands.
Teachers are seeking a salary increase, overtime compensation, monthly allowance and pandemic aid, P3,000 inflation adjustment allowance and P10,000 tax-exempt election service honorarium.
“As teachers remain overworked, underpaid and under supported by the Duterte administration, we are challenged yet again to take action and utilize our collective strength to forward the interests of our sector,” ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said in a statement.
ACT, the largest organization of teachers, slammed the Duterte administration for allegedly neglecting the plight of teachers.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones paid tribute to teachers and said the DepEd has provided assistance to them amid the pandemic.
“In the meantime, we have undertaken steps to provide more benefits to our hardworking teachers, such as additional salary grades and opportunities for professional growth,” Briones said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Imee Marcos described as “utterly inexcusable” that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has not yet shifted from in-person to online mode of conducting the Licensure Exam for Teachers more than a year into the pandemic.
“More than a year of joblessness awaits this year’s education graduates who cannot take the licensure examinations for professional teachers until 2023 due to pandemic restrictions,” Marcos said.
She said some 200,000 government posts, including those for public school teachers, remain unfilled.
Marcos said an online examination for teachers would make more applicants eligible for jobs in government-run educational institutions.
“We are delaying job creation and causing a shortage of teachers. The solution is to digitize the licensure exam for teachers,” she said.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles honored teachers for their contributions in shaping the future of Filipino children.
The Catholic Church offered a mass on Oct. 3 for the safety of teachers as they remain committed to service despite the challenges brought by the online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. – Romina Cabrera, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Robertzon Ramirez