Ilonggo educators protest for fair pay on Teachers’ Day

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By Juliane Judilla

Teachers, students and progressive groups held a picket in front of the Department of Education Iloilo Division office in Iloilo City on Friday, Oct. 3, to commemorate World Teachers’ Day.

Led by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers–Panay and ACT Region VI Union, the groups called for a higher education budget, including more funding for facilities, classrooms and salaries for teaching and nonteaching staff.

According to Professor Early Sol Gadong, faculty regent of the University of the Philippines system, teachers carry most school responsibilities while their pay remains very low.

“We are calling for a salary increase, but the usual reason given to us is that there is no money, no budget, yet hundreds of millions disappear because of corrupt officials and corrupt contractors,” Prof. Gadong said.

Kabataan party-list Panay said the current education system places a heavy burden on both teachers and students and criticized the government for failing to allocate sufficient funds to education while continuing to finance corrupt state-sponsored projects.

“Budget for education, not corruption!” Arlie Bosque of Kabataan Partylist Panay said.

The groups also said the call to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte should move forward because of her leadership of the Department of Education and the alleged squandering of millions in funds within days.

To conclude the activity, demonstrators tore pictures of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte and House Speaker Martin Romualdez while shouting, “Lahat ng korap, dapat managot!”

The protest coincided with teachers’ walkouts in various regions across the country and came ahead of the global observance of World Teachers’ Day on Oct. 5.