Monday, September 29, 2008 Rally set for teachers' pay hike
SOME 5,000 public school teachers are set to stage a rally on Monday at the House of Representatives to press their call for the P9,000 increase on their monthly wages.
Teacher's Dignity Coalition (TDC) chairman Benjo Basas said they will first gather at the Batasan school in Commonwealth around 3 p.m. where a brief program will be held before proceeding to the Batasan Complex.
They will then go to the Congress to appeal that the allocation of budget for the P9,000 salary increase bill be prioritized.
"This rally is just part of the grand lobby that we are doing to press our call for a salary hike," said Basas, adding that they are assured of the full support of various teachers group in their mass action.
According to him, there is really a need to upgrade the salary of the teachers considering the high prices of basic commodities.
At present, the basic salary of teachers stood at P10,000.
But the group contends that with inflation, teachers were unable to cope with the prices of basic commodities forcing many of them to do additional job and even borrow from "shark loans" to make both ends met.
Citing the latest data provided by the National Statistics Coordinating Board (NSCB), Basas said the poverty threshold for Metro Manila is pegged at P10,000.
The amount, however, covers only basic necessities like food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Recreation and emergency expenses are not included.
The statistics also showed that for a family of six, the minimum living wage should be at P870 a day.
He said they are optimistic they will be able to get the support of the other lawmakers after House Education Committee chair and Marikina Representative Del De Guzman has given his full backing to their case.
In addition, Basas said that Bukidnon Representative Teofisto Guingona III will be giving a privilege speech during the rally in support of the teacher's call for a pay hike.
The Senate has already passed the third reading of Senate Bill 2408, which gives an additional P9,000 to teachers in three equal tranches until 2010. However, the Lower House is yet to deliberate on the matter.
Basas said they are in favor of the Senate version than House Bill 4734.
"House Appropriation Committee chair Junie Cua is more leaning to the Department of Budget and Management for Salary Standardization Grade 3 proposal but we are for the Senate-proposed P9,000 increase," he said.
The proposed law provides that the salary increase will be paid in three equal tranches annually from 2008 to 2010. It also provides some other compensation and support like the remuneration from local government units, medical allowance, and the Magna Carta bonus.
The Salary Standardization Act provides for a uniformed pay scale for government employees, including teachers.
Recently, however, lawmakers are pushing for the approval of a measure that exempts teachers from the salary standardization law in order to provide adequate remuneration and job fulfillment.
For his part, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus expressed support for the passage of the law, saying: "DepEd (Department of Education) has been cognizant of the need to improve our teachers."
Aside from salary upgrade, Lapus mentioned other efforts to improve teachers' welfare.
These are: the payment of some P1.7 billion in arrears representing government shares in contribution to the Government Service Insurance System; the release of P400 million last year to partially settle unpaid loyalty pays, step increments and other entitlements of DepEd personnel especially teachers, the release of P77.8 million from the DepEd 2007 NCR savings for the payment of the much-awaited 1999 "over-and-above" allowances of Metro Manila-based public school teachers that allowed the immediate payment of some unpaid benefits.
In response to the Civil Service Commission ruling on classroom teaching hours, Lapus also issued guidelines that allowed teachers six hours of actual classroom teaching instead of eight hours. (AH/Sunnex)
