MetroBriefs

Estrada assures teachers of P2,000 monthly allowance

Manila officials have assured the city’s public school teachers that they will continue to receive their P2,000 monthly allowance which has been costing the city government P240 million a year. The incentive, however, has been criticized by the Commission on Audit (COA), saying it lacked legal basis. Members of the Manila Public School Teachers Association (MPSTA), wary of losing the incentive which serves to augment their salary, trooped to city hall on Friday to hold a dialogue with Mayor Joseph Estrada. “I’ve already given instructions,” Estrada assured the teachers, referring to the drafting of a proposed ordinance that would institutionalize the teachers’ local incentive pay. Pending the approval of the measure, the city government will continue to charge the teachers’ allowances to the Special Education Fund (SEF), lawyer Edward Serapio, secretary to the mayor, said. The Manila City government was still waiting for the COA to decide whether it was legal to charge half of the teachers allowance to the SEF and get the rest from the general fund. The teachers prefer the incentive to be sourced from the SEF which is taken from one percent of real property tax payments. Serapio said that Councilor Lei Lacuna, who sits on the local school board, would sponsor the ordinance authorizing the city to give, and even increase, teachers’ monthly incentive pay. “Whether the COA will allow P1,000 from the SEF, it’s better for the city to [have a legal basis for providing] the teachers’ incentive. If [this is not] allowed, the allowance will come from the general fund,” Serapio told the teachers. The MPSTA will also join a nationally coordinated sit-down strike on Feb. 24 to demand the increase of public school teachers’ entry-level pay from P18,549 to P25,000, and for nonteaching personnel, from P9,000 to a national minimum wage of P16,000. Erika Sauler

Chiang Kai Shek HS Batch 34 reunion set

In celebration of its 40th year, the Chiang Kai Shek College High School Batch 34 will hold a reunion party on March 15, Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the CKSC auditorium on Padre Algue Street, Tondo, Manila. All Batch 34 alumni composed of all members of senior high school Class of 1975 (Chinese instruction) and/or high school Class of 1973 (English instruction) are invited to the event. Ticket price is P300. Kindly RSVP by March 5 to Jimmy at 0916-2086320, 0922-3338669, 0921-3334000, or by e-mail: [email protected].

Pinoy Zumba instructors win worldwide video contest

PINOY PRIDE: Dynamic duo Alec Pang and Manny Licsi Contributed photo

Two Pinoy Zumba instructors recently bested thousands of contestants worldwide after their entry was named one of the 12 winners in the Zumba’s 2015 New Year’s Original Video Contest launched by the Zumba Instructors Network (ZIN). In an e-mail, Jillian Schaefer, senior brand manager, ZIN, at Zumba Fitness, LLC, congratulated Alec Pang and Manny Licsi—known to their students collectively as The Twiin(Z)—for their “fun and enjoyable video.” “Your creativity and originality were great. We really enjoyed your video and thank you for spreading your Zumba passion!” she said. The international competition asked licensed Zumba instructors worldwide to submit an original dance video set to the song “Sigue Moviendo.” It covered the month of January and the 12 winners each received free ZIN membership good for one year. To see the Twiin(Z) entry, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5On9u38H3bw&feature=youtu.be