Senator files bill for teachers’ pay hike

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri filed the Basic Education Teachers Pay Increase Bill Act for the 18th Congress.

In a press statement dated July 11, 2019, Zubiri said “This is a popular proposal and one of the long-delayed promises of many senators.”

“As your Majority Floor Leader, I guarantee we will take it up as priority measure for the first few months of this Congress.”

In answer to appeals from the public education sector, the bill proposes to raise the compensation of teaching and non-teaching personnel in the public sector by P10,000 per month to be paid in three years:

• First Year – P4,000 per month;
• Second Year – an additional P3,000 per month; and
• Third Year – another additional P3,000 per month.

Currently, an entry level Teacher 1 position is classified under Salary Grade 11 and receives P20,754.00 in gross monthly compensation, while an entry level non-teaching personnel falls under Salary Grade 1, with P11,068.00 in gross monthly compensation.

“Masyadong maliit ang sahod nila kumpara sa laki ng responsibilidad nila sa mga mag-aaral. Apart from this salary increase, I also propose to provide medical allowance, magna carta bonus, and support in the form of additional allowances and remuneration. The government should not only focus on improving school facilities. We should also pay attention to the welfare of our teachers, who serve as the core of the education system,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri is hopeful that the bill will proceed with minimal hiccups, as he has already gathered support for it from some of his fellow senators.

“We have already the commitment of many senators, including the new senators,” he assured.