PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is still bent on raising the salaries of public school teachers under his watch, Malacañang assured on Monday, June 3, 2019.
In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the country's economic team is already looking for ways to fulfill the President's promise to raise the salaries of teachers nationwide this year.
"The President has not been reneging on his commitment (for public school teachers' pay hike)," the Palace official said.
"The President is working on that and hopefully that can be responded to. Our economic managers are doing everything to see how things can be done," he added.
In January, the President pledged that public school teachers would receive higher pay this year.
Duterte's promised salary increase for teachers is on top of the implementation of the last tranche of salary adjustment for government workers this year provided under the Salary Standardization Law.
As school year 2019-2020 opened, ACT Teachers Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro called on Duterte to fulfill his promise to raise the teachers' salaries.
ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said the President just needs to sign an executive order (EO) to grant the salary increase for teachers.
Panelo, however, said signing an EO could not be done in haste, noting that the government has to check if it can fund the proposed pay hike.
"Well, [that's] easier said than done because even if you issue an executive order, if there is no funding source baka lalong magkaproblema tayo (we might enocunter problem). So we have to get funding first," the Palace official said.
He, nevertheless, floated the possibility that Duterte might seek a dialogue with teachers to discuss the matter.
"[We] will arrange for that. I’ll talk with the President about that [possible meeting between him and the teachers]," Panelo said. (SunStar Philippines)