Pag-Ibig, DepEd finalizing plan for Teachers Village

MANILA, Philippines - Pag-IBIG Fund and the Department of Education (DepEd) are finalizing a plan for the construction of low cost housing for teachers all over the country, Vice President Jejomar Binay said.

Binay, guest speaker of the DepEd initiated commemoration of World Teachers’ Day at the Phil Sports Arena in Pasig last Oct. 5, said the teachers can avail of Pag-Pag-IBIG housing loans for P2,000 monthly amortization.

“I am eyeing for a village for teachers. It’s mandated in Pag-Pag-IBIG. They are members of Pag-Pag-IBIG, but they cannot avail of the housing programs. I want to help them have their own houses although some of them already have their own houses,” Binay said.

Binay said they are still finalizing the site for the Teachers Village, but definitely it will be within Metro Manila.

“My mother is also a teacher. Some of my cousins are also teachers. Allow me to take this opportunity to announce to you that the Pag-Pag-IBIG Fund, of which I am chairman of the board, is finalizing with the Department of Education, a housing program for our teachers,” Binay said. He comments that a good future always starts from the house.

“I hope that through this program, we can start making life better for our beloved teachers,” Binay said. “We will study how to increase the salaries of the teachers and how to give them additional skills. But, in fairness, almost every year there has been an increase in their salaries,” he added.

At present, the salaries of the teachers provide them little option and some of them even work abroad as domestic helpers.

“The importance of inculcating the value of dignity to our students is severely undermined by another harsh reality, our teachers who are expected to teach dignity ironically cannot maintain their dignity, since their salaries provide them with little option but to take on additional jobs or even work abroad as domestic helpers,” Binay said.

Binay said teachers must also receive the full moral and physical support due their noble vocation.