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An Act Increasing the Minimum Salaries of Public School Teachers

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7211


Introduced by

ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. ANTONIO L. TINIO and Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO, BAYAN MUNA Party-List Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. EMMI A. DE JESUS and Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS, ANAKPAWIS Party-List Rep. ARIEL “KA AYIK” B. CASILAO, and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. SARAH JANE I. ELAGO


AN ACT

INCREASING THE MINIMUM SALARIES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND AUGMENTING THE PERSONNEL ECONOMIC RELIEF ALLOWANCE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill aims to increase the minimum monthly salaries of public school teachers and other government employees. It also aims to increase the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance granted to all government employees from P2,000 per month to P5,000.

Increasing the salaries of government employees, majority of whom are public school teachers and workers in the education sector, will ease the errors in the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) which were worsened by its latest adjustment through Executive Order 201 (2016) and the doubling of salaries of military and uniformed personnel through Joint Resolution 1 (2018).

First, the SSL under EO 201 grants measly increases that are quickly eaten away by taxes and inflation. The salaries remain insufficient for a family living wage of P1,119 per day or P33,570 per month for a family of six to have a decent and humane condition of living.* The disparity between the salary and the family living wage continues to widen, as inflation steadily rises without corresponding timely increases in salaries. Our employees’ earnings simply cannot catch up with the cost of living. For instance, the present salaries of public school teachers range only from P20,179 up to P24,224 per month, which are way below the living wage.

Second, the SSL gives more to those who already have more, and far less to those who have less. With this latest adjustment, the long-standing gap between the lowest and highest paid employees was made even wider. The salary of the lowest-ranked government employee was increased by only 22.98% (P9,000 to P11,000), and that of a Teacher I and Nurse I by only 11.89% (P18,549 to P20,754). On the other hand, the salaries of those occupying executive-level positions were increased by 76.96% up to 233.12% (Salary Grade 25 to Salary Grade 33).

Civilian personnel are also left far behind now that Joint Resolution 1 increased the base pay of military and uniformed personnel, without a corresponding adjustment in the salaries of civilian employees. This created a wide salary gap between civilian employees and their armed counterparts, with the former on the losing side. For instance, candidate soldiers earn P18,587 monthly while thousands of civilian rank-and-file employees in Salary Grades (SG) 1 to 10 are paid P10,510 to P18,718, though they have similar, even higher qualifications, or have spent equal or even more years in government service. A Police Officer 1 (PO1) and a Private are now paid P29,668, almost P10,000 more than the P20,179 paid to a Teacher I, a Nurse I, a Private Secretary, a Registrar I, and a Guidance Counselor I (SG 11) under the third tranche of the revised Salary Standardization Law.

Hence, this bill proposes substantial salary increases for civilian personnel in government to close the gap between public sector pay, especially among the rank-and-file, and the cost of living. It will also address the distortion created by the doubling of entry-level pay of military and uniformed personnel. It also proposes the annual adjustment of salaries to ensure that public sector pay keeps pace with the cost of living. This bill mandates the Department of Budget and Management, in consultation with public sector unions, to recommend to Congress the appropriation of the necessary funds.

For these reasons, immediate approval of this bill is sought.

Rep. ANTONIO L. TINIO
ACT Teachers Party-List

Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO
ACT Teachers Party-List

Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE
BAYAN MUNA Party-List

Rep. EMMI A. DE JESUS
GABRIELA Women’s Party

Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS
GABRIELA Women’s Party

Rep. ARIEL “KA AYIK” B. CASILAO
ANAKPAWIS Party-List

Rep. SARAH JANE ELAGO
KABATAAN Party-List

*Study of IBON Foundation


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7211


Introduced by

ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. ANTONIO L. TINIO and Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO, BAYAN MUNA Party-List Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. EMMI A. DE JESUS and Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS, ANAKPAWIS Party-List Rep. ARIEL “KA AYIK” B. CASILAO, and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. SARAH JANE I. ELAGO


AN ACT INCREASING THE MINIMUM SALARIES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND AUGMENTING THE PERSONNEL ECONOMIC RELIEF ALLOWANCE

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to alleviate the living conditions of government employees and to guarantee employees’ rights to living wage.

The State policies of ensuring that education receives the highest budgetary priority and that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment are hereby reiterated.

In the formulation of decisions with regard to education reforms, the State shall likewise hold paramount the protection and promotion of the right of citizens to quality education at all levels and the rights of education workers to human conditions of work and a living wage.

SECTION 2. Raising of the Minimum Salaries of Regular Employees in Government.

The present salary of a regular entry-level position in government service shall not be less than Sixteen Thousand Pesos (P16,000) a month. The salaries of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.

SECTION 3. Raising of the Minimum Salaries of Public School Teachers in Basic Education. The present entry-level salary of public school teachers shall not be less than Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,000) a month. The salaries of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.

SECTION 4. Raising of the Minimum Salary Grade Level of Higher Education Teaching Personnel. The present entry-level salary of teaching personnel in State and Local Universities and Colleges shall not be less than Thirty One Thousand Pesos (P31,000) a month. The salaries of all other teaching personnel occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.

SECTION 5. Annual Adjustment of Salaries. Salaries of government personnel shall be adjusted annually to keep pace with the cost of living. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in consultation with public sector unions, shall recommend to Congress the appropriation of the necessary funds.

SECTION 6. Augmentation of the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance. The Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) is hereby increased from the present Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000) a month to Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000) a month. The PERA shall henceforth be referred to as the Augmented Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (APERA).

SECTION 7. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and the DBM shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations of the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 8. Appropriations. The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be taken from current appropriations. Thereafter, funds needed in subsequent years shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. Should any provision herein be declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,


ACT Teachers Party-List

Source: ACT Teachers Party-list

Para kay Mam at Sir: Nai-file na ang House Bill 7211 ng ACT Teachers Party-list na naglalayong taasan ang sweldo ng mga guro hanggang P30,000. Kaugnay nito, ang Alliance of Concerned Teachers kasama ng daanlibong mga guro ay patuloy na kikilos upang maisakatuparan ang hangaring ito.

Makiisa sa mga sumusunod:

  • I-share ang post na ito, i-tag ang co-teachers, at ipaalam sa lahat ang ating hangarin
  • Pagkakabit ng Yes to Salary Increase posters sa mga bulletin, faculty and department rooms.
  • Lobbying sa mga opisina sa Senado at Kongrreso
  • Selfie/Groupie Campaign
  • Pagtalakay sa mga INSETs at iba pang tipon ng kaguruan
  • Pagtalakay sa mga kapwa-guro sa pamamagitan ng discussions at forums
  • Petition Signing para sa pagtataas ng Sweldo (Ilalabas ng ACT Philippines)
  • Pagkilos sa iba’t ibang porma upang maipakita ang ating lakas at maipanawagan ang ating kahilingang pagtaas ng sweldo

BASAHIN:

Magdadalawang taon na sa Malacañang si Pang. Duterte subalit nanatiling nakapako sa mababang antas ang sahod ng mga pampublikong guro at kawani. Idinadahilan ng kasalukuyang administrasyon na may pagtaas naman sa sahod ng mga guro at kawani sa ilalim ng Executive Order 201 kung kaya’t walang batayan upang magkaroon sa kagyat ng panibagong dadgdag sa sahod.

Para sa sa Teacher I, II at III na bumubuo sa 82% ng kabuuang 772,710 guro at kawani sa ilalim ng DepEd, ang sinasabing pagtaas ay katumbas lamang ng P18.63 hanggang P32.23 dagdag na sahod kada araw para sa taong 2018.

Sa tunay na buhay, ang sweldo ng kaguruan ay malayung-malayo sa karaniwang gastos ng pamilyang may tatlong anak para matustusan lamang ang pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan. Sa pagkain, upa sa bahay, pamasahe, tubig, kuryente, baon sa eskwela, gas, maintenance na gamot o karaniwang sakit pa lamang ay kapos na ng P10,000 kada buwan ang sweldo ng Teacher 1. Hindi pa kasama dito ang gastos sa kailangang damit, sapatos, matrikula at iba pang pangangailangan sa eskwelahan. Paano pa kung may maoospital o may nasirang gamit sa bahay.

Dinadaya pa nina DepEd Sec. Briones at DBM Sec. Diokno ang datos upang palabasing nasa P26,000 kada buwan na ang pinakamababang sweldo ng mga guro. Pilit nilang idinagdag sa komputasyon ang mga benepisyo ng mga guro. Binabaluktot nila ang katotohanang magkaiba ang sahod at benepisyo. Ang 13th month at 14th month pay ay benepisyong tinatanggap ng lahat ng kawani ng gubyerno at nakalaan sa mga espesyal na pagkakagastusan sa panahon ng pasukan at Kapaskuhan. Ang chalk allowance ay nakalaan sa gastusin sa pagtuturo na hindi talaga dapat sagutin ng sweldo ng guro. Ang PBB ay benepisyong parang ayaw ibigay dahil pinagbabangga at pinag-aaway-away nito ang kawani sa magkakaibang antas ng bonus at bumibilang ng taon bago makuha.

Samantalang binabarat ang sweldo ng kaguruang abut-abot ang sakripisyo sa paggampan sa kanilang tungkulin, tumatapon naman ang salapi ng bayan sa korupsyon at paggastang hindi nararapat.

Sa Executive Order 201, tiniyak ng matataas na opisyales ng gobyerno na bigyan ng malalaking pabuyang umento ang kanilang mga sarili.

Samantalang binabarat ang kaguruang lampas-ulo kung tambakan ng trabaho, nilulustay naman ang bilyun-bilyong pondo ng gubyerno sa pambayad-utang na hindi natin pinakinabangan, gastos sa militar at mga nakatagong pork barrel mula opisina ng pangulo, senado, konggreso at mga ahensya.

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Mark Anthony Llego

Mark Anthony Llego, from the Philippines, has significantly influenced the teaching profession by enabling thousands of teachers nationwide to access essential information and exchange ideas. His contributions have enhanced their instructional and supervisory abilities. Moreover, his articles on teaching have reached international audiences and have been featured on highly regarded educational websites in the United States.

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