DepEd: P1.3B for teachers’ medical check-up, incentive released last September

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has already released in September P1.3 billion for public school teachers’ annual medical check-up and incentive for the World Teachers’ Day, and said that those who have yet to receive the cash would have the amount reflected in their payroll soon.

Education Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla said Friday that the DepEd central office released the P400 million fund for the P500 cash assistance for each teacher’s annual medical examination last September 16, and the P900 million for the P1,000 incentive for the World Teachers’ Day last September 18.

World Teachers’ Day was celebrated last October 5.

“But we have to understand na marami po sa ating mga kasamahan na mga guro [ay nagtatanong] bakit ‘yung iba ay natanggap, ‘yung iba ay hindi pa. Kasi po ang proseso ng pag-release nito ay dadaan sa kanilang payroll,” Sevilla explained in a press briefing.

(But we have to understand why some teachers wonder why they haven’t received the cash yet while others have received it. It’s because the process of releasing this will go through their payroll.)

Since September, she said the funds released from the central office must first be forwarded to regional and division offices before they can be reflected in the teachers’ payroll accounts.

“So ‘yung mga hindi pa nakakatanggap, but I think this is very minimal dahil ‘yung iba po ay nagfeedback na sa atin na natanggap nila, hintayin niyo lang po ay ‘yan po ay papasok sa inyong account,” she added.

(So those who have not received it yet, although the number is minimal as some said they have already received the cash, just wait until the amount is reflected in your account.)

Sevilla also said that DepEd had expedited the payroll processing for October. As of October 22, 89.57 percent of its personnel’s total salaries have already been paid while the remaining 10.43 percent are still being processed. [ac]