JULY 18, 2013

NR # 3168B

Salary increase for public school teachers pushed

A lawmaker is calling for the immediate approval of a measure upgrading the minimum salary grade level of all public school teachers in the country. Rep. Raul Del Mar (1st District, Cebu City) filed House Bill 365, which proposes an increase in salary of public school teachers that is in sync with the new K to12 educational system. At present, Del Mar said under the government salary standardization scheme, public school teachers with salary grade 11 are receiving a monthly basic pay of P18, 549. The bill wants to upgrade the salary grade 11 of public schools teachers in the elementary and secondary levels to salary grade 20 with a monthly pay of P36,567. Under the bill, the teachers salary shall be differentiated in accordance with the qualifications and length of service rendered by teachers and shall not be prejudiced by across the board adjustments. Public school teachers are among the underpaid workers in our society, despite the fact that they are heralded as molders of our childrens future, Del Mar said. Del Mar cited Article XIV of the Constitution, which provides that the State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through the adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment. The teachers are the governments partner in its mission to provide quality education that is equitably accessible to all, hence, the state needs to give priority to their interest and welfare Del Mar said. Del Mar said the Constitution mandates the State to recognize the complementary roles of public and private institution in the educational system and exercise reasonable supervision and regulation of education institutions. To give meaning to the spirit and intent of the constitutional provisions, there is now an indispensable need to upgrade the salary grade of our public school teachers, Del Mar said. The bill mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to come up with a specific programmed budget needed to cover the expenses for the upgrading in salary levels for all the corresponding teacher plantilla positions for a period of at least five years to allow the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) make the necessary budgetary adjustments to facilitate its smooth implementation. (30) jc