Gatchalian: Aid packages for private school teachers, OFWs under ‘Bayanihan 2’ pushed

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has proposed to include in the Senate Bill No. 1564 or the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2)” relief packages for private school teachers, as well as for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to help their children continue their education amid the coronavirus crisis.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts, and Culture, shared Recto’s proposal during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday, noting that some private school teachers are employed in small or medium-sized institutions that were also largely hit by the pandemic.

“Under the Bayanihan 2, nagpropose si Senator Recto na bigyan sila ng relief between P5,000 to P8,000 para matulungan ‘yung mga teachers natin at hindi naman matanggal sa trabaho. Ang tawag nila ay amelioration for teachers, particularly for private schools,” he said.

(Under the Bayanihan 2, Senator Recto has proposed to provide relief assistance ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 to help teachers so they would not be removed from work. This will be called amelioration for teachers, particularly for private schools.)

Gatchalian said that some private school teachers in smaller institutions had no salaries during the delayed enrollment for the coming school year, while public school teachers still had regular pay from the government.

Meanwhile, he also pointed out that OFWs normally prioritize payment for housing rent and education of their families, but with their jobs held back by the pandemic, the education of their children was also affected.

“We are making available under Bayanihan 2 a relief package para sa OFWs natin para magpatuloy ang pag-aaral ng kanilang mga anak (for our OFWs so their children can continue their education),” the senator said.

According to Gatchalian, he also suggested the inclusion of microloans for parents and schools under the proposed measure, considering the blended learning to be implemented by the Department of Education in the scheduled opening of classes on August 24.

“Isa sa mga amendment ko doon ay magbigay ng micro loans sa ating mga magulang at sa ating mga eskwelahan. Micro loans kasi dapat mag-umpisa na tayong mag-invest sa technology ngayon (One of my amendments there is to provide micro loans to parents and schools. Micro loans because we should start investing in technology now),” he said.

“Kung merong available micro loans sa ating mga magulang para bumili ng computer, laptop, tablet, ibigay natin sa kanila. Merong micro loans sa private schools in particular. Gawin natin ito para makatransition sila at ma-upgrade nila ‘yung kanilang technology,” he added.

(If there are available micro loans for parents to buy computers, laptops, tablets, then we should give it to them. There are micro loans for private schools in particular. We will make it available so they can transition and upgrade their technology.)

/MUF