THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF TEACHERS IN THE

Module 4 PHILIPPINES
-Grace D. Ladia, DME

Introduction

Teaching is the noblest profession and it is the state to give support for the
teachers, thus, in this chapter we will discuss the rights and privileges of teachers in
the Philippines for proper cognizance and knowledge particularly the pre-service,
public and private school teachers.

Learning Outcomes

In this module, you are expected to discuss and internalize the rights and
privileges of teachers in the Philippines.

Learning Contents

It contains the rights and privileges of teachers in the Philippines for the pre-
service, public and private school teachers.

For additional information, you can also visit/access the links or

scan the QR codes included under the Recommended learning materials
and resources for supplementary reading part of this module.

Teaching and Learning Activities

Each of the lessons in this module contains activities that can be done
individually, by pair, and by group in an asynchronous or synchronous mode of
learning.

“Ignorance of the law excuses no one from compliance therewith”, Article 3,

Civil Code. This means every individual must know the existence of law, not to
mistakes regarding its application or interpretation. As a public school teacher he/she
must know the rights and privileges of teachers in the Philippines. Therefore, let us
start with……

The 1987 Philippine Constitution Article XIV section 5 (paragraph 4) states

that “The state shall enhance the right of teachers to professional advancement” and
(paragraph 5) it shall “assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure
the teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents
through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment”.

According to Lacson, Virgilio S, 2018, “the responsibility of molding the minds

and values of the Filipino youth makes our public school teachers precious and
invaluable to our society. Moreover, public school teachers, as civil servants,
wholeheartedly dedicate their time and effort in assisting both the local and national
government “.

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 As such, Republic Act No. 4670 otherwise known as “The Magna
Carta for Public School Teachers” was passed into law in view of providing
professional rights and safeguards to the public school teachers. This
Republic Act No. 4670 give the detail about the rights, privileges and
benefits of teachers such as: 1) recruitment and qualification 2) consent
for transfer 3) code of professional conduct of teachers 4) safeguards in
disciplinary procedure 5) no discrimination 6) married teachers 7)
academic freedom 8) six hours actual classroom teaching 9) additional
compensation 10) salary scale 11) cost of living allowance 12) special
hardship allowance 13) deductions prohibited 14) free medical
examination 15) study leave 16) indefinite leave 17) salary increase upon
retirement 18) freedom to establish and to join organizations of their
choice. (For further clarification students must research RA No. 4670)

Moreover, Commonwealth Act No. 578 is also necessary for the public and
private school teachers as additional information for the rights and privileges. An Act
to amend article one hundred fifty-two of the revised penal code, so as 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”.

COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 578

AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO OF THE REVISED PENAL

CODE, SO AS 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”.

Section 1. Article one hundred fifty-two of Act Numbered Three thousand eight
hundred and fifteen, known as the Revised Penal Code, is amended to read as
follows:

“Article 152. Persons in authority.-Who shall be deemed as such.-In applying the

provisions of the preceding and other articles of this code, any person directly
vested with jurisdiction, whether as an individual or as a member of some court or
governmental corporation, board or commission, shall be deemed a person in
authority..”

“In applying the provisions of articles one hundred forty-eight and one hundred
fifty-one of this code, teachers, professors, and persons charged with the
supervision of public or duly recognized of public or duly recognized private
schools, colleges, and universities, shall be deemed persons in authority”.

Section 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

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ACTIVITY: Let us try to answer these

PRETEST: Write YES if you agree and NO if you disagree. Refer to the 1987
Philippine Constitution, Commonwealth Act No. 578 and RA 4670, the Magna Carta
for Public School Teachers respectively. (Taken from the book of Bilbao, Purita P, et.
al. THE TEACHING PROFESSION)

The 1987 Philippine Constitution states that the State shall:

___1. enhance the right of teachers to professional advancement.

___2. assign the second highest budgetary priority to education, next to medicine.

___3. 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 No. 578 protects teachers by providing a provision on:

___4. punishment against any person guilty of assault against teaching personnel.

___5. according to due respect and protection for teachers who are considered
persons in authority.

Republic Act Number 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers states the
following rights and privileges of teacher:

___6. academic freedom particularly with regards to teaching method.

___7.the right to be free from compulsory assignment not related to their duties
defined in their appointment or employment contracts unless given additional
compensation.

___8. freedom from involuntary contributions.

___9. compensation for employment injuries in accordance with existing laws.

___10. establishing, joining, maintaining labor organization of their choice to

promote their welfare and defend their interest.

___11. transfer even without their consent from one station to another where there
is urgent need.

___12. employment in the same locality for those who are married wherever
possible.

___13. a maximum of 4 hours actual teaching hours per day.

___14. more than 6 hours of teaching but not exceeding 9 hours.

___15. an additional compensation from the DepEd of at least twenty percent of his
regular remuneration after the teacher has completed at least six hours of actual
classroom teaching a day.

___16. Additional compensation from the DepEd when they serve during elections.

___17. equal remuneration, regardless of qualifications.

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___18. salary scales of teachers that provide for a gradual progression from a
minimum to a maximum salary by means of regular increments, granted
automatically after three years, even if the efficiency rating of the teacher concerned
is below satisfactory.

___19. the salary scales appropriated by a city, municipal district, or provincial

government that are not lower than those provided for teachers on the National
Government.

___20. without exception Special Hardship Allowances.

___21. special hardship allowances equivalent to at least twenty-five percent of their

monthly salary for those who qualify.

___22. free medical examination even after retirement.

___23. a study leave for not more than 2 school years after ten years of teaching,

___24. enjoy a compensation allowed for one year study leave without any
condition.

___25. a study leave of more than one year provided permitted by the Secretary of
Education but without compensation.

___26. an indefinite sick leave of absence when the nature of the illness demands a
long treatment that will exceed one year at the least.

___27.one range salary raise upon retirement for those who have fulfilled the age
and service requirements of the applicable retirement laws which shall be the basis
of the computation of the lump sum of the retirement pay and the monthly benefits
thereafter.

___28. hardship allowance for those who teach in multi-grade classes, mobile
teachers and Non-formal education or Alternative Learning System (ALS)
Coordinators are entitled to hardship allowance.

___29. stability of employment and security of tenure under existing laws.

___30. safeguards in disciplinary procedure.

Recommended learning materials and resources for supplementary

reading.

1. 1987 Philippine Constitution

2. Republic Act No. 4670

3. Lacson, Virgilio S, 2018

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Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM)

This module adopts the synchronous and asynchronous learning modalities

for you to have better access and learning of the lessons. This may include google
classroom, moodle, schoology, edmodo, Podcast, printed materials and other
resources depending on your needs and capacity to use the material.

Assessment Task

At the end of lesson, you have to answer the given questions for your teacher
to check your understanding. This will help your teacher determine if you need
additional explanation and/or activity before proceeding to the next lesson.

I. Let us have a Posttest. Answer TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is
wrong.

___1. Special hardship allowances of professional teachers is equivalent to at least

ten percent of their monthly salary for those who qualify.

___2. Teachers enjoy free medical examination even after retirement.

___3. Teachers are entitled to a study leave for one year after a minimum ten years
of teaching.

___4. Teachers may enjoy full compensation allowed for one year study leave on
condition that the teacher takes the regular study load and passes at least seventy-
five percent of his courses without any condition.

___5. Teachers may be entitled to a study leave of more than two years permitted
by the Secretary of Education but without compensation.

___6. Teachers may enjoy an indefinite sick leave of absence when the nature of the
illness demands a long treatment that will exceed one year at the least.

___7. A professional teacher is entitled to a one year range salary raise upon
retirement for those who have fulfilled the age and service requirements of the
applicable retirement laws which shall be the basis of the computation of the lump
sum of the retirement and the monthly benefits thereafter.

___8. Those who teach in the multi-grade classes, mobile teachers and Non-formal
Education or Alternative Learning System (ALS) Coordinators are entitled to hardship
allowance.

___9. Teachers enjoy stability of employment and security of tenure under existing
laws.

___10. Teachers have safeguards in disciplinary procedure.

___11. Teachers enjoy the right to establish, join, maintain labor organization of
their choice to promote their welfare and defend their interest.

___12. Teachers may be transferred even without their consent from one station to
another where there is urgent need.

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___13. Employment in the same locality for those who are married whenever
possible.

___14. Teachers may have more than 6 hours of teaching but not exceeding 9
hours.

___15. Teachers are entitled to an additional compensation of at least twenty five

percent of his regular remuneration after the teacher has completed at least six
hours of actual classroom teaching a day.

___16. Teachers are entitled to additional compensation when they serve during
elections paid by the DepEd.

___17. Teachers enjoy equal remuneration, regardless of qualifications.

___18. Teachers enjoy salary scales that provide for a gradual progression from a
minimum to a maximum salary by means of regular increment, granted automatically
after three years, if the efficiency rating of the teacher concerned is satisfactory.

___19. Teachers enjoy the salary scales appropriated by a city, municipal, municipal
district, or provincial government that are not lower than those provided for teachers
of the National Government.

___20. Teachers without exception are entitled to Special Hardship Allowances.

The Philippine Constitution states that the State shall:

___21. Enhance the right of teachers to professional advancement.

___22. Assign the second highest budgetary priority to education, next to medicine.

___23. 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 No. 578 protects teachers by providing a provision on:

___24. Punishment against any person guilty of assault against teaching personnel.

___25. According due respect and protection for teachers who are considered
persons in authority.

Republic Act No. 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers states that a
teacher/teachers enjoy/exercise:

___26. Academic freedom particularly with regard to teaching methods

___27. The right to be free compulsory assignment not related to their duties
defined in their appointment or employment contracts unless given additional
compensation.

___28. Freedom from involuntary contributions

___29. Compensation of employment injuries in accordance with existing laws

___30. Establishing, joining, maintaining labor organization of their choice to

promote their welfare and defend their interest.

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 II. Make a research on the budget allocated to education by the State for the past
5 years. Based on the figures, has the government been true to the Constitution?

References
Bilbao, P., Corpuz, B., Llagas, A., Salandanan, G. 2018. The Teaching
Profession. 4th Edition. Lorimar Publishing

Bilbao, P., Corpuz, B., Llagas, A., Salandanan, G. 2015. The Teaching
Profession. 3rd Edition. Lorimar Publishing

Cortez, A., Cortez,B., Esguerra,D., Molano,T.,Alonzo,E. 2019. The Teaching

Profession (OBE and K-12 Compliant). St. Andrews Publishing House

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