Lucy clarifies: She also wants pay increase for teachers

ORMOC CITY, Philippines —  “Of course, I want teachers’ salaries to increase. Who wouldn’t? They are always overworked and underpaid,” said Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez (4th district, Leyte) in reacting to accusations that she did not support the bill of such nature, sponsored by Representative Antonio Tinio of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers Partylist.

Tinio’s proposed bill seeks to increase salaries of teachers to a minimum of P25,000 and of non-teaching personnel to P15,000.

Lucy made it clear that she is sympathetic to the cause of the teachers and will vote for measures regarding the matter anytime it is put on the floor.

The congresswoman has been “attacked” on her Instagram post by some followers, who have accused of  her of being anti-teacher.  It started from an advisory of the ACT website, listing the names of legislators who co-authored the Tinio’s bill and Lucy’s name was not among them.

Tinio, however, defended Lucy by posting on his Instagram the following: “Cong. Lucy has always been supportive of measures that will promote the rights and welfare of teachers, including the demand for higher salaries. The ACT chapter in Ormoc can attest to that.”

Lucy thanked Tinio for the clarification, saying, “thank you very much @tonchitinio for going out of your way to set the record straight. So many accusations and angry words … over something that is not true to begin with.”

Tinio’s “setting the record straight” also came in time for the observance of  World Teachers’ Day yesterday, a big event that was held at Bacolod City.

Evelyn del Prado, a teacher from Albuera town in Leyte who was one of those named Outstanding Teachers during the event, said she was able to relay Gomez’s assurances and Tinio’s support to co-teachers who were gathered at Bacolod for an awarding rites.

Lucy, in a text interview, said the teachers should “check their facts first before they accuse me of not signing.” She explained that the bill “is still pending in the committee level,” and that the list of co-authors did not mean she will not vote “yes” to it.

“There was no vote called on the bill (yet) whether a certain representative is for and against it. Again, it is still being taken up in the committee level,” Lucy said, adding that she had to be pragmatic.

Lucy said the Tinio bill called for a sweeping increase of teachers’ salaries. “And if their salaries are increased, then the same should be done to all other civil servants. Obviously, the government has no money for a sweeping increase”, which meant that this measure may not see its light of day.

“So the compromise as of the last time I checked, before budget deliberations, was to increase the teaching materials allowance of the teachers. That way, they have an increase of sorts … but there will neither be pressure nor obligation to apply the same on the salaries of all other public servants,” said Lucy.

This “compromise” bill, which marries all the good points of pending bills in Congress seeking an increase of the take home pay of teachers, “is still in the works,” said the Leyte solon.

Lucy finally declared she would always be an ally of teachers. “I have always believed that education is a great equalizer and to achieve that, we need to support our teachers.” —Lalaine M. Jimenea (FREEMAN)