House bill seeks to double teachers’ pay
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Teachers may get paid twice their basic salary now if this bill becomes a law.
Magdalo Representatives Francisco Ashley Acedillo and Gary Alejano filed House Bill 4081, which seeks to increase the minimum salary grade level of public school teachers to Grade 20, with basic pay of P36,567, from Grade 11, with P18,549.
Acedillo said teachers, despite being the “molders of the youth,” are among the most underpaid and overworked professionals.
“Despite the fact that they looked upon and heralded as molders of the youth, public school teachers receive a basic salary under the Salary Standardization Law of P18,549 only,” said Acedillo.
Under the third phase of the Salary Standardization Law, the rate for Grade 20 for government employees is P36, 567 for Step 1 and P36, 970 for Step 2.
Article continues after this advertisementThe bill said the salary upgrade would be based on the teachers’ qualifications and length of service, and will not be affected by across-the-board adjustments.
Article continues after this advertisementThe measure mandates the Department of Education to come up with a budget to cover the salary upgrades for all teacher plantilla positions over a period of three years.
This will enable the Department of Budget and Management to adjust the national budget, the bill said.
The bill also mandates that the budget for salary increase will take priority over non-educational and non-agricultural allocations.
The proposed measure is pending at the House committee on appropriations.
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