Senate bill to raise teachers’ supplies allowance

MANILA, Philippines — Public school teachers are expected to get more allowances for teaching supplies next year under a bill that the Senate approved on second reading on Tuesday.

The bill would institutionalize the teaching supplies allowance for public school educators.

It provides for a P5,000 allowance per teacher for teaching supplies for the school years beginning in 2021 and 2022.

For the school year beginning in 2023, the allowance would rise to P7,500 per teacher.

It would then be set at P10,000 per teacher for the school year starting in 2024 and the years thereafter.

Those who qualify for the allowances are teachers engaged in teaching public basic education, consistent with the learning systems recognized by the Department of Education.

Public school teachers receive an annual chalk allowance under the budget, but senators who pushed for the bill said this had not been enough for their needs.
Currently, the chalk allowance is P3,500.

Senators also noted that teachers’ needs have been changing amid the pandemic, and their allowance is also now being used to pay for their internet fees for online learning.