EDUCATION Undersecretary Tonisito Umali said Monday, September 9, that the Department of Education (DepEd) has allocated a budget dedicated to giving teachers cash incentive during the World and National Teachers' Day on October 5.
Umali, however, said that further instructions on how to receive the cash incentive will be given by Education Secretary Leonor Mirasol Magtolis-Briones.
"Taon-taon, wala namang naipapasok na cash incentive na ibinibigay sa ating mga guro. Walang kabayaran, walang kadudadua yung kanilang pagse-serbisyo, pero ngayon po naipasok po yan sa ating budget ng DepEd," Umali said during a press conference following the kick-off of the National Teachers' Month Monday morning, September 9.
"Bukod po diyan, yung State of the Nation Address ng ating pangulo (Rodrigo Duterte), binanggit po niya yung pagtaas ng sahod ng ating mga guro at kung papaano po ito insaktong mangyayari, kailangan po kasi ng batas para mangyari ito," he added.
"Pero sa ngayon, ito po'y mangyayari dahil ang ating tinatawag na next tranche on the Salary Standardization Law ay mangyayari pong muli this 2019," Umali said.
In 2015, former President Benigno Aquino III pushed for the Salary Standardization Law (SSL), which mandates a four-year salary increase to the basic salaries of government employees.
The compensation adjustment under SSL end in 2019.
During the fourth State of the Nation Address of Duterte last July, the President urged the Congress to pass a "new version" of the SSL.
Entry-level teachers have a monthly salary of P20,754, following the implementation of the fourth and last tranche of wage hike for government workers this year as provided under the SSL IV.