MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for calling on Congress during his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) to prioritize the passage of a new Salary Standardization Law (SSL) that will benefit public school teachers.
“The Department of Education (DepEd) expresses gratitude to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for marking the passage of a new Salary Standardization Law (SSL) as an urgent action for the 18th Congress during his 4thth State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 22,” DepEd said in a statement Wednesday.
DepEd said this is accordant to Secretary Leonor Briones’ commitment to ensure a sustainable pay hike for teachers.
“His direction is consistent with Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones’s commitment to ensure an equitable and sustainable pay hike and to continue the efforts that have, by far, expanded the scope of welfare of the Department’s teaching and non-teaching personnel,” it said.
“The Department hopes that this gain will help to further uplift the professional and personal condition of teachers as DepEd continues to work from enhancing access to improving the quality of basic education,” it added.
During Duterte’s Sona on Monday, he urged Congress to pass a new SSL to increase the pay of government workers, including public school teachers and nurses in government health facilities.
“To the teachers who toil and work tirelessly to educate our young, kasali na po dito ‘yung hinihingi niyo. Hindi masyadong malaki pero it will tide you over,” Duterte said.
READ: Duterte to Congress: Pass new law on gov’t workers, teachers salary hike
DepEd pointed out the new SSL will not only increase the compensation of public school teachers, but also of other government workers.
Teachers have been asking for a pay hike after Congress approved a massive increase in the base pay of military and other uniformed personnel last year. /muf
READ: Duterte: Teachers next in line for pay hike