‘Walang pagkukulang dito:’ Briones says provision of teachers’ benefits ‘timely’

MANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Leonor Briones said Tuesday that the benefits and compensation of teachers are being provided in a “timely” manner, as she claimed there were no “shortcomings” in the provision of such benefits.

“Lahat ng entitlements ng ating mga teachers binibigay natin at tsaka timely ang pagbigay ng mga allowances at tsaka compensation na ito sa mga teachers. Wala tayong pagkukulang dito [All of our teachers’ entitlements have already been given and the release of allowances and compensations are timely for the teachers. We don’t have shortcomings],” Briones said during the Laging Handa briefing.

According to Briones, the Department of Education (DepEd) is not behind in providing the benefits of the teachers—including cash and uniform allowances.

“As far as we are concerned, five months kung maalala  ninyo na hindi tayo nagbukas ng klase, five months naman na regular na natatanggap ng teachers ang kanilang benefits,” Briones said.

“Walang utang ang DepEd sa benefits ng mga teachers dahil alam naming mahalagang-mahalaga at kailangang-kailangan yan—bukas o sarado ang eskwelahan—benefits ng teachers. Pati yung uniform allowance, ina-ano na namin, inaayos,” she added.

(The DepEd has no debt with regards to the benefits of teachers because we know that is important to them and they need it, even schools are open or not. Including the uniform allowance, we are preparing them already.)

For the uniform allowance of teachers, Briones said this will be provided in cash form and it will be up to the teachers whether they will use it to purchase a new uniform amid the pandemic.

“Nasa teacher yan kung bibili siya ng bagong uniform o kuntento na siya sa dati nyang uniform pero ang pera ibibigay namin sa kanila [Cash will be given to teachers and it is up to them if they will buy a new uniform or they prefer to just wear the old ones],” Briones said.

In April, however, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said that teachers should also be compensated for their overtime work for the extended working school year.

Castro said that the work-from-home arrangements and the eight-hour workday rule are not being followed by a majority of teachers “due to the numerous paperwork and additional tasks that the modular approach requires from them.”

JPV