Villanueva wants additional allowance for SUCs, tech-voc schools’ faculty
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Joel Villanueva has filed a bill seeking to give additional allowance to faculty members of state universities and colleges (SUC) and state-run technical and vocational (tech-voc) institutions.
Villanueva said he filed a bill to improve the living conditions of teachers in public higher education institutions as he expressed hope that the bill would help retain quality faculty members in the SUCs and tech-voc schools.
“We seek to uplift the standing of our faculty in public higher education institutions with this bill. We hope that maintaining a competitive salary package in public universities and colleges helps our SUCs retain the best faculty among their ranks,” Villanueva said in a statement.
“After all, they bear the heavy responsibility of shaping our youth into the professionals of tomorrow,” he added.
Villanueva also filed a bill seeking to institutionalize the skills certificate equivalency program (SCEP) of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
SCEP allows TESDA-issued national certificate (NC) holders to seek the appropriate civil service eligibility from the CSC.
“An NC is proof of one’s expertise on a certain skill or a set of skills. It is an assurance of the competencies of a skilled worker. Thus, this bill is consistent with the Constitutional policy that appointments in the civil service are made only according to merit and fitness,” Villanueva said.
The senator added that the bill would also help improve the image of tech-voc education in the country.
“The passage of this bill will ensure the security of tenure of qualified, skilled workers in government, provide equal opportunities to middle skill workers to enter civil service,” the senator said.
Several senators of the 18th Congress started filing their priority bills on Monday.
The senators can file their priority bills until Thursday.
The order of filing of bills and resolutions are determined according to the lawmakers’ seniority or length of service. (Editor: Eden Estopace)
READ: Senators in 18th Congress start filing pet bills
