LESSON V:

RIGHTS AND PREVILEGE OF

TEACHERS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Refer to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Commonwealth Act No. 578 and RA 4670, the
Magna Carta for Public School Teachers found in Appendices C, D, and E, respectively. Read
each part of these legal documents as you check your answers. Filipino teachers ought to be
aware and knowledgeable of these well-deserved benefits.
There is no other Constitution in the history of the country that has given importance to
teachers more than the 1987 Phil Constitution. The 1987 Philippine Constitution states: ... The
state shall enhance the right of teachers to professional advancement (paragraph 4,). It shall
"assign the highest budgetary priority to education to "ensure that teaching will attract and retain
its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means
of job satisfaction and fulfillment." Commonwealth Act 578 amended the Revised Penal Code to
include teachers, professors, and persons charged with the supervision of public or duly
recognized private schools, colleges, and universities, within the term "persons in authority."
RA 4670, otherwise known as The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, details the
rights, privileges and benefits of teachers such as: 1) consent for transfer; 2) safeguards in
disciplinary procedure: 3) no discrimination; 4) married couples to be employed in the same
locality; 5) academic freedom; 6) not more than 6 hours of actual classroom teaching; 7)
additional compensation for activities outside normal duties; 8. salaries comparable to other
occupations to insure teachers a reasonable standard of life for themselves and their families; 9)
salaries appropriated by local governments not to be less than those paid to teachers of the
national government; 10) cost of living allowance; 11) special hardship allowances; 12) medical
examination free of charge once a year during the teacher's professional life; 13) prohibition of
unauthorized deduction from teachers' salaries; 14) study leave; 15) indefinite leave; 16) salary
increase upon retirement and 17) freedom to establish or join organization of their choice.
These show that the welfare of professional teachers has been given much attention. After all,
there is no truth to what is often said about teachers "overworked and underpaid."
SUMMARY:
The welfare of teachers has been given much attention in the past years. The Philippine
Constitution guarantees that the State shall "enhance the right of teachers to professional
advancement;" "assign the highest budgetary priority to education;" and "ensure that teaching
will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate
remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment." Other laws, especially RA
4670, the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, give in detail teachers' rights, privileges and
benefits.