By Michael T. Esmino
Managing Editor
AIMING TO give a meaningful assistance
to teachers in the country, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano called for the passage of
a bill he filed seeking to arm teachers in basic education with better
financial capability to face the soaring prices of basic commodities.
Senate Bill 94, entitled “An Act
Providing for Additional Support and Compensation for Educators in Basic
Education”, seeks to grant a P9,000 additional compensation and P1,000
medical allowance for teachers.
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| Sen. Allan Cayetano |
“They are given a role that is crucial
in creating a society geared towards economic development. It is but reasonable
that they receive support and appropriate compensation to ensure that the
pillars of education system are not left behind,” Cayetano said.
Increasing teachers’ benefits, he
noted, will not only help our teachers live a comfortable life but will also
improve the quality of education and consequently allow students to find
quality employment.
SB 94, which he authored and filed earlier
this year, seeks to grant the additional compensation to public school teachers,
locally-funded teachers, Philippine Science High School teaching and
non-teaching personnel, and even non-teaching personnel
of DepEd except for those in SG 30, under the Department of Education schedule
of salaries, or holding positions from assistant secretary or higher.
The additional compensation, under
the bill, should be given in three equal tranches: P3,000 per month on the
first year,P3,000 per month on the second year, and P3,000 per month on the
third year.
The bill cited a 1998 World Bank study
which stated that teachers are the “single most important factor” behind a
student's performance, hence, the need to provide them with better compensation
commensurate to their roles and life challenges.
The bill also quoted the DepEd as
saying that teachers should have the equivalent salary grade of a 1st
Lieutenant in the Philippine Army or P29,028 a month as based on the
revised salary standardization law III.
Currently, however, the entry level
for teachers is merely at Salary Grade (SG) 11 which is equivalent to P18,549
monthly income.
Cayetano’s measure likewise cited a 1991
Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) report which pointed out that the
level of compensation for educators was disproportionately low "relative
to the functional definition of the teaching job, the sensitiveness of the
teaching responsibility, the technical requirements of the job, the time
required for it and the intellectual demand it makes."
EDCOM also recommended that compensation
for teachers be raised to SG 17 which is equivalent to the salary of a 1st
Lieutenant in the Philippine Army.
“Hiking our teachers’ salary will ensure
that their focus on educating the youth never wavers by providing them with the
support and benefits they need," he pointed out.
Aside from an across-the-board
additional compensation, SB 94 likewise seeks to provide a comprehensive
package of benefits such as medical allowance of at least P1,000 for check-ups
and other medical needs and annual Magna Carta bonus to answer for unpaid
benefits due them under Republic Act No. 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public
School Teachers Act.
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