The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines highlighted the disparity in addressing economic demands between majority of teachers and government workers compared to military and uniformed personnel, following the Marcos Jr. administration’s recent announcement to double the subsistence allowances for soldiers and all members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in 2025.
“Habang kalakhan sa mga guro at kawani sa gobyerno ay tatanggap lamang ng P25-P50 umento sa ilalim ng EO64 o SSL VI, nangako naman ang administrasyong Marcos Jr. na dodoblehin ang daily subsistence allowance ng kasundaluhan na papatak sa P350 kada araw. Nakakadismaya na hindi katulad ng pagpapahalagang ito ang ipinapakita sa aming mga guro at kapwa kawaning publiko ng mga umuupong pangulo. Noong rehimeng Duterte ay dinoble na ang sahod ng mga pulis at sundalo habang pinaasa lamang ang mga guro sa pangakong dodoblehin ang sweldo. Ito rin ang ipinangako ni Marcos Jr. noong panahon ng kampanya, ngunit barya, barat, at mumong umento lamang ang tugon sa panawagan naming disente at nakabubuhay na sahod at sukli sa ambag naming pampublikong serbisyo sa ating mga mamamayan,” lamented Vladimer Quetua, ACT Chairperson.
“Teachers suffer the crushing weight of the learning crisis. Despite the deplorable state of our public education system given the chronic shortages in classrooms, support personnel, facilities, teaching and learning materials, low salaries and meager benefits, teachers never faltered in their commitment to give our learners the best possible education. We demand nothing less than what we rightfully deserve. As we celebrate the National Teachers’ Month, we demand the same recognition afforded to other professions, like the military and uniformed personnel,” Quetua added.
ACT reiterated its World Teachers’ Day demands, urging the government to:
- Increase teachers and education workers’ salaries
– P50K entry-level pay
– P33K for SG1 employees
– SG16 for Instructor 1
– Equal pay for public and private teachers;
- Double the education budget to 6% of GDP
– Hire 50K teachers
– Build 250K classrooms;
- Abolish the MATATAG curriculum;
– Conduct evidence-based learning assessment
– Genuine and democratic consultation with teachers and unions
– Nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented education;
- Fund teachers’ benefits
– Teaching overload pay
– Special hardship allowance
– P5K Personnel Economic Relief Allowance
– 15 days sick leave
– Lower optional retirement age to 56
– Reform GSIS;
- End attacks on teachers and schools
– Junk trumped-up charges vs Teacher France and Talaingod 13!
– Junk UP-AFP Declaration of Cooperation
– Uphold union rights
– Uphold academic freedom
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