Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio called on the Marcos Jr. administration to approve an immediate increase in the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA), prioritize House Bill 206 or the PERA bill for teachers as inflation climbed to 4.1% in March from 2.4% in February, while fuel prices continue to spike and push up transport fares and basic commodity prices.
“Teachers cannot eat press statements denying the crisis,” Tinio said. “With March inflation at 4.1%—a huge jump from 2.4% in February—every peso of a teacher’s pay buys less. Combined with relentless oil price hikes, this is an emergency for educators and public servants. PERA must be increased now,”
Tinio slammed Malacañang for downplaying the worsening fuel situation even as diesel prices reportedly surged to as high as nearly P170 per liter in parts of Metro Manila, triggering a domino effect on transportation costs, electricity, food, and other essentials.
“Kumikitid ang badyet ng guro sa bawat pagtaas ng langis at mga bilihin,” Tinio said. “Krisis ang nararanasan ng mga guro at kawani, hindi ‘temporary inconvenience.’ Dapat agarang itaas ang PERA sa hindi bababa sa P5,000, lalo pa at mula 2009 ay napako na ito sa P2000.
Tinio stressed that the current PERA is grossly inadequate amid soaring prices, and that the government’s continued refusal to grant meaningful wage relief effectively forces teachers to subsidize the crisis from their own pockets.
“PERA is supposed to be economic relief, but it has been kept at a level that no longer relieves anything,” Tinio said. “Government employees—especially teachers—are being asked to do more with less, while prices keep rising. This is unacceptable.”
Tinio also pointed to structural policy failures that worsen the crisis, including fuel deregulation and regressive fuel taxes, and urged the administration to take decisive action rather than deny reality.
“You cannot solve a crisis you refuse to admit,” Tinio said. “The government must stop gaslighting the public and start delivering real, immediate relief—starting with higher PERA for teachers who keep the education system running.”
“Tumigil na dapat ang gobyerno sa pagmamaliit sa krisis,” Tinio added. “Ipatupad ang agarang relief, hindi pangakong paulit-ulit na napapako.” ###
