Palace to teachers on wage hike: Be patient

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang urged teachers in the country to be patient as they demand for the salary increase that President Rodrigo Duterte has promised them.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the statement after he said Education Secretary Leonor Briones told him that increasing teachers’ salary by P10,000 would cost the government P150 billion.

“That is why we appeal to our teachers that since this is the huge amount, medyo haba-habaan niyo muna ang pasensya, talagang mag-hahanap tayo ng pera para sa inyo,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Panelo said on Monday that Duterte was “working” on their salary increase as he ordered his economic managers to look for funding.

READ: Palace assures teachers: Duterte ‘working’ on wage hike

Is a salary hike for teachers not possible?

“Hindi. Ang sinasabi ko lang, masyadong malaki na kailangan talagang ‘yung mga economic manager natin, ginagawan ng paraan kung saan nila kukunin, saan nila ita-transfer ‘yung whatever. Basta we’re doing something about,” he said.

Duterte has repeatedly promised to raise the salary of teachers  after the salaries of the military and the police were doubled.

READ: Duterte vows to raise salary of teachers this 2019

“Well, the President has committed himself and he has not reneged on any commitment he has made during the presidential elections,” Panelo said.

The Palace official did not say how much the increase was that the government is eyeing for the teachers.

“Eh baka — baka, hindi ko alam ha — baka kumbaga installment. Baka gawing installment. Hindi ko alam, baka gawing installment. Hindi ko alam kung anong mangyayari,” he said.

“But what I think certain is that the President really wants to increase the salaries of the teachers,” he added. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)