Davao teachers seek P4,500 subsidy to cope with price hikes

DAVAO CITY — Public school teachers here are asking for a P2,000-monthly financial subsidy and a P2,500-quarterly rice subsidy from the city government amid inflation woes in the country.

Elenito R. Escalante, president of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Davao City chapter, said the current salary of public school teachers was no longer enough to cope with rising prices of basic commodities.

“Our appeal to the city government is very timely,” said Escalante, also president of the faculty club of Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School here.

“The salary that we are receiving is no longer enough to cover our basic needs on a daily basis,” he said.

Lobby

If granted, a total of 11,959 Department of Education teaching and nonteaching personnel would benefit from the city government subsidy.

The public school teachers’ union has been lobbying for the subsidy at the city council since August this year.

Davao City Councilor Pilar Braga, chair of the city council’s committee on education, had sponsored an ordinance that would grant the teachers’ subsidy from the city government’s general funds.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte earlier said the city would explore other fund sources to grant the teachers’ subsidy because such expense could not be funded under the Special Education Fund.

Reynaldo Pardillo, ACT Davao City division president, said teachers remained hopeful.