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Teachers’ Compensation and Support Act of 2018

Under the Philippine setting, public school teachers occupy a socio-historical role. The teacher is looked up to as the source of enlightenment. In current times, however, the public school teacher has collectively been misunderstood, neglected and even disregarded. For turning to the streets to air their grievances and seek support for their demands, they have been vilified, threatened and also treacherously handled by the very government officials whose fundamental concern includes the interest of the public school teachers.

Yet, when we look into the provisions of the fundamental law of the State:

“The State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure 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”. [Article XIV, Section 5(5)]

1987 Constitution

Teachers are indeed invaluable to our society. Their responsibility in molding the values and character of the young generation of the country cannot be overestimated. Aside from educating our children, teachers are likewise the most reliable and dedicated public servants. They are consistently called upon by officials of the local and national government to assist in various extra-curricular and civic activities which contribute to the welfare of the community and the country, most notable of which is when they guard the precincts and transmit the votes during an election period.

To stress their importance to society, teachers are given substitute and special parental authority under our laws. Article 218 of the Family Code states that the school, its administrators and teachers shall have special parental authority and responsibility over the minor child while under their supervision, instruction or custody.

It is imperative therefore that to attract the most competent and efficient to the teaching profession, the government must provide compensation and benefits commensurate to the work they perform and the contribution they make to the society.


Introduced by: Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV

AN ACT ENHANCING THE COMPENSATION STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM OF SUPPORT FOR ALL TEACHERS IN BASIC EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND CREATING THE TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FUND

EXPLANATORY NOTE

There’s a special place in my heart for teachers and educators. They are key to improving the quality of education in the country. And I’ve seen firsthand the passion, hard work and extreme care they put into their vocation as three out of four of my grandparents were teachers – Lolo Dondoy and Lola Vicky Aguirre, from my mother’s side, helped put up the University of Mindanao in Davao City and worked there until retirement.

Teachers don’t just fall into their profession, they choose to take on the responsibility of shaping and molding educated, successful and compassionate Filipinos. Like Teacher Sabs Ongkiko, who was poised to pursue a medical career but chose to teach in a public school in Quezon City because she believed it was her calling.

Unfortunately, many teachers like Sab do not receive commensurate wages for their work. Also, wages are not the same across the board for teachers in the public and private sector.

Teachers’ Compensation and Support Act of 2018

The “Teachers’ Compensation and Support Act”, which will guarantee teachers the following:

  • The development of quality standards for the review and authorization of the adjustment of public school teachers’ salaries
  • The implementation of more reasonable working conditions
  • The right to be free from compulsory administrative assignments outside of teaching duties stated in contracts, unless they are given just compensation
  • Free legal assistance, counseling services, an education subsidy for qualified and financially disadvantaged teachers who want to pursue further education
  • More stringent measures on transfer to ensure the least disruption of classes during the school year

This measure will also create a Private School Teachers Salary Subsidy to support private school teachers in schools and areas that primarily serve students from lower income families.

We must revisit the indispensable role of teachers in educating people and ensure that the teaching profession attracts the most competent, dedicated people.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.


SENATE BILL NO. 2057

AN ACT ENHANCING THE COMPENSATION STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM OF SUPPORT FOR ALL TEACHERS IN BASIC EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND CREATING THE TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FUND

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

Introduced by: Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV

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

Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Teachers Compensation and Support Act of 2018.”

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the vital role and contribution of teachers in nation-building and development through a responsible and literate citizenry. A teacher is, above all, a human being endowed with life for which it is the highest obligation to live with dignity at all times whether in school, in the home, or elsewhere. Towards this end, the State shall ensure and uplift the quality of life of a teacher both in one’s professional and personal life.

Likewise, the State hereby recognizes the complementary roles of public and private education basic institutions in the educational system and the invaluable contribution that the private schools have made and will make to education. For these intents, the State shall aim to:

(a) Provide support to our teachers in recognition of their role in nation building;

(b) Provide a system and mechanism in determining the appropriate salary of public school teachers;

(c) Provide a level playing field for professional teachers in both public and private basic educational institutions;

(d) Eliminate the massive migration of private basic education teachers to the public schools for better compensation;

(e) Encourage more persons to join the teaching profession;

(f) Incentivize and provide premium to Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) passers;

(g) Broaden access to basic education through financial assistance and other forms of incentives to teachers; and

(h) Encourage and stimulate private support to education through, inter alia, fiscal and other assistance measures.

Sec. 3. Mandate on Quality Standards. – The Department of Education (DepEd) shall develop mechanisms for quality standards in the review and endorsement of adjustment of salaries of public school teachers under the Salary Standardization Law in consideration of the following:

(a) Compliance of the DepEd Regions, Divisions, and schools with minimum standards for quality determined by the appropriate office at the DepEd Central Office;

(b) DepEd Regions’ submission of relevant information on their respective public school’s quality and student performance on national achievement tests;

(c) DepEd Regions’ and Divisions’ submission of development plans every ten (10) years; and

(d) Number of public schools and enrolment capacity per locality and region.

Sec. 4. Reasonable Working Conditions. – DepEd shall ensure that full-time teachers under the public school system and the teachers of DepEd-recognized private schools shall be required to render reasonable working hours which consist of not more than an eight (8) hour workday and a six (6) hour teaching day, subject to the applicable overtime and overload pay under appropriate DepEd regulations.

The DepEd shall ensure that no unreasonable conditions or requirements are required of public school teachers aspiring for tenure.

Sec. 5. Freedom from Other Compulsory Assignments – The teachers’ right to be free from compulsory administrative assignments not related to their teaching duties as defined in their appointments or employment contracts, unless compensated therefor, shall be recognized.

Sec. 6. Other Forms of Support.

(a) Free legal assistance. – Teachers shall be provided with free legal service by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) in the case of public school teachers, and through the school authorities concerned in the case of private school teachers, when charged in administrative, civil and/or criminal proceedings by parties other than the school or regulatory authorities concerned for actions committed directly in the lawful discharge of their duties, in defense of school policies, and/or in the protection of students.

(b) Free counseling services. – Teachers shall be provided with access to free counseling services, in the school or in other accredited agencies, by a qualified guidance counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist, or appropriate mental health professional to ensure the mental health and well-being of teachers.

Sec. 7. Private School Teachers Salary Subsidy (PSTSS). – Salaries of all licensed and professional teachers in participating private basic education institutions shall be included in the DepEd annual budget, subject to the same position classification and compensation scheme by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for teachers in the public schools in the Salary Standardization Law subject to eligibilities and requirements as provided in this Act.

Sec. 8. Eligibility. – To be qualified for the PSTSS, the teacher must be:

(a) Teaching full-time in a DepEd-recognized and accredited private basic education institution;

(b) Teaching at the elementary or secondary level;

(c) Qualified to teach under the “Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994” or Republic Act No. 7836, as amended, and the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013” or Republic Act No. 10533; and

(d) Teaching the DepEd-approved core curriculum.

Sec. 9. Administration of the PSTSS Program. – The Department of Education shall exercise policy, oversight, and budgeting functions. However, the Private Education Assistance Council-Fund Assistance to Private Education (PEAC-FAPE) shall administer the PSTSS Program in order to ease the administrative burden from the DepEd: Provided, that a PSTSS Program Unit shall be organized within the DepEd which shall be accountable for PSTSS oversight, and close supervision of contracted payment and monitoring of participating accredited schools or providers.

Sec. 10. Accreditation of Participating Schools in the Program. – The PEAC-FAPE shall adopt guidelines in the selection and accreditation of participating DepEd-recognized private basic education schools to implement the PSTSS based on the following standards:

(a) Address the congestion of students in the public basic education institutions;

(b) Improve the quality of public basic education;

(c) Provide more access to basic education;

(d) Strengthen complementarity of public and private basic educational institutions;

(e) Ensure the sustainability of private basic education schools who participate in the delivery of education;

(f) Prioritize areas and schools where there are not enough teachers and/or where students belong to low income families;

(g) Optimization and efficient use of government budget on education.

Sec. 11. Teacher Education Subsidy (TES). – There shall be created a subsidy which shall be used to support qualified financially disadvantaged aspiring teachers in shouldering costs related to pursuing a degree in basic or secondary teacher education in any accredited teacher education institute.

It may likewise cover the allowance for books, supplies, transportation and miscellaneous personal expenses including cost of review and taking the LET, subject to return service to the public school system for a period of three (3) consecutive school years from the date of passing the LET.

Sec. 12. The Teacher Education Assistance Fund (TEAF). – The Teacher Education Assistance Fund (TEAF) is hereby established to support the implementation of the Private School Teacher Salary Subsidy (PSTSS) and the Teacher Education Subsidy under Sec. 7 and Sec. 11 of this Act respectively. The Fund shall be deposited in the National Treasury and administered by the Department of Education through the PEAC-FAPE.

The administration, utilization, and disposition of the TEAF herein established shall be subject to the rules and regulations, which shall be promulgated to carry out the provisions of this Act.

Sec. 13. Deployment in priority areas. – The DepEd shall formulate rules to require teachers who are beneficiaries of this Act, to render temporary or fixed term services to priority areas where there are no qualified teachers.

Sec. 14. Restriction on transfers. – No teacher shall be allowed to resign, save for justifiable reasons, at the middle of the school year. Teachers from the private schools transferring to the public school system shall finish their respective contracts of employment and shall not be allowed to pre-terminate or resign for purposes of the transfer. DepEd shall develop a system to ensure this is implemented and to impose sanctions on non-compliance for this purpose.

No unreasonable restrictions and/or conditions for transfer shall be imposed on teachers in the private schools.

Sec. 15. Inter-Agency Consultative Committee. – A Committee composed of the Department of Education, Department of Labor and Employment, Fund Assistance to Private Education, and the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations is hereby created to periodically review and provide data and research relevant to support the implementation of this Act which includes, enrolment capacity both in the public and private schools per region and locality, number of students, number of qualified teachers.

Sec. 16. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. – There is hereby created a Joint Oversight Committee to oversee, monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Act.

The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five (5) members each from the Senate and from the House of Representatives, which shall include the following: Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education; Chairperson of the House Committee on Basic Education; Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance; Chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations; and three (3) members each to be chosen from the membership of the Senate Committee on Education, and the House Committee on Basic Education by the Senate President and the House Speaker, respectively, with at least one member each from the minority in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. Funding for the expenses of the Committee shall be taken from the appropriations of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Sec. 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd in consultation with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), PEAC-FAPE, Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), and other relevant stakeholders in basic education, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations necessary to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 18. Separability Clause. – Should any part of this Act be declared unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

Sec. 19. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Teachers Compensation and Support Act of 2018 Legislative History

10/8/2018Introduced by Senator PAOLO BENIGNO “BAM” AQUINO IV;
10/9/2018Read on First Reading and Referred to the Committee(s) on CIVIL SERVICE, GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION; EDUCATION, ARTS AND CULTURE; and FINANCE;
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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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