MANILA, Philippines — Outgoing Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said on Thursday that there are only four sources of funds that the government can tap to implement a salary hike for public school teachers: loans, budget realignments, tax increases, and government savings.
“Ang pangunahing pagkukunan niyan (salary hike) ay tatlong bagay lamang: utang, may tatanggaling kasalukuyang gastushin ng pamahalaan at ire-realign doon, magtataas na naman ng buwis, pero hindi rin naman ganoon kalaki at regular,” Escudero said during a Kapihan at the Senate forum.
Escudero said this as Malacañang revealed that President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered his economic advisers to look for resources to fund teachers’ salary raise.
READ: Duterte seeks funds for teachers’ pay hike
He said the government could utilize a combination of the four sources just to find funding for the much-needed salary increase.
The senator admitted that the salaries of teachers’ are lower than those of law enforcers such as personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Kung ikukumpara sa law enforcers — PNP at AFP — (ang sweldo ng mga teachers), ang sagot ko ay oo,” Escudero said when asked if the salaries of teachers are behind from those of the law enforcers.
He explained that the government follows a certain formula to compute the standard living wage not only for teachers but also for all workers.
“May formulang ginagamit kaugnay sa pagcompute ng tinatawag nating living wage. Dapat ang kinikita ay sapat para sa gastusin ng isang pamilya base sa preso ng bilihin, base sa inflation, at base sa pangangailangan kaugnay sa pagkain, housing, utilities, at ang pananamit,” Escudero said.
The senator also suggested that there should be a separate law that will provide for the salary increase of the teachers.
“Mas maganda sigurong hiwalay na batas na dahil ipit na sila sa panahon para isingit pa yan, icompute pa ‘yan at pag-aralan pa ‘yan para isabay sa National Expenditure Program,” Escudero said. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)