Jul 9, 2013 11:05am HKT SENATOR Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos III on Tuesday proposed 25% hike in minimum pay of public school teachers. In Senate Bill No. 109, Marcos wanted to upgrade the present minimum Salary Grade 11 (SG 11) level to SG 15 level of public elementary and high school teachers. If the bill is enacted into law, the present P18,594 (SG 11) minimum salary of the teachers will be raised to P24,887 (SG 15). “As a result, the economic and social status of public school teachers across the country will be improved,” Marcos said. Marcos said that while the Department of Education continuously receives the largest share in the national budget of the country, the minimum salary of public school teachers remain lower compared with the salary of other professions. “Worst, most (teachers) are in the borderline of poverty threshold,” said Marcos. He said the Constitution itself recognizes the enormous contribution of the teaching profession, which requires great sacrifice and unparalleled dedication to reach out and impart one’s knowledge and experience to young minds. “This is a fitting gesture of gratitude to our modern day heroes in public education,” he said. Not pass in 15th Congress In the 15th Congress, there are several attempts made to increase the take home pay of public school teachers including the proposed measures filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, an Aquino ally, doubling their monthly wage and House Bill No. 2142 filed by Act Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio, upgrading their salary from grade 11 to 15. However, both measures failed to pass in the 15th Congress since it was not in the legislative priority of the administration and nowhere to be found in the Department of Education’s 10 point agenda. Tinio said that since the bill was filed in 2010, it has gathered around 180 lawmakers as co-authors. But, he said the only stumbling blocks to its passage into law are the budget department and the President. “Proof of this hindrance is his refusal to line up the issue as among his legislative priorities and his failure to set aside funds for salary increases for teachers and other state workers in his proposed 2013 budget,” he added.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Jul 2013 07:36:59 +0000
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