Teachers lower proposal

TEACHERS lowered their demand for local subsidy on their new proposal submitted to the office of the city mayor on Friday, October 5, as Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio told them that the amount was not possible for the city government last October 1.

While the Association of Concerned Teachers Act (ACT) pushed for the 2,000 monthly allowance and 2,500 quarterly rice subsidy per teacher last time, the group submitted another proposal lowered to 1,500 monthly allowance and one-half rice quarterly subsidy.

These will be for around 12,000 Department of Education (DepEd) personnel in the city, where around 7,000 affix their signature to show support of the request. This will be, accordingly, sourced out from the 2019 General Fund.

“Mayor, teachers are not only working for DepEd. During elections, we work for Commission of Election (Comelec). When we have visitations and poverty alleviation programs, we are working as if we are from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),”Reynaldo Pardillo, President of ACT-Davao City Chapter, said on their appeal.

“When we have feeding and health programs, we are fulfilling the function of Department of Health (DOH). When we do census, we are doing the job of National Statistics Office (NSO),” Pardillo said, adding that they also repair and beautify classrooms as that of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and check piled up of papers during weekends and holidays.

Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio, during the World Teacher’s Day celebration at the Davao City National Highschool (DCNHS) said that she will instead help teachers to lobby in the congress to push for national budget on additional allowance and subsidy.

“I will help you lobby sa congress because the correct tjhing to do is request congress for a national law top increase4 the salary or to allow allowances to all DepEd employees,” she said.

“Because it was really very impossible,” Duterte-Carpio said, referring to the proposed 34,000 per teacher per year in Davao City,” she added.