Early salaries for Lanao teachers

MARAWI CITY, Philippines—At least P11 million in funds for teachers’ salaries and allowances of college scholars in Lanao del Sur province was released here early on Sunday by officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in preparation for the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, which will start on June 28.

“You are supposed to receive these checks at the end of the month but in deference to Ramadan, you will have these early with the assurance to render the same committed service,” ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman told a crowd of mostly recipients at the provincial capitol gym.

A total of 1,198 primary and secondary school teachers, and 82 college students who are beneficiaries of the Office of the Regional Governor’s scholarship program received the checks, ARMM Education Assistant Secretary John Magno said.

Students on full scholarship are entitled to a P10,000 allowance every month while those on partial scholarship get P5,000.

“This is not electioneering or a political aggrandizement for the administration party but part of the reform agenda that we have started since I assumed as OIC (officer in charge)-governor and elected governor,” Hataman told the Inquirer.

The governor also announced the signing of a memorandum of agreement on June 12 that settles the P2.8-billion debt of ARMM teachers and education personnel from unremitted premiums of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

When the anomaly was first discovered, the amount involved was just P800 million. But due to GSIS interests and surcharges, it has reached

P2.8 billion. Under a memorandum of agreement, the Department of Budget and Management agreed to condone the debt.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, the governor’s executive secretary, said the anomaly was uncovered when Nur Misuari, founding chair of the Moro National Liberation Front, was ARMM governor.