CAGAYAN de Oro’s first day of classes in public schools was generally peaceful, even as several protests from motorela drivers and a group of teachers asking for salary increase also take centerstage.
Ophelia Tabacon, union president of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) in Northern Mindanao, said they are appealing for the speedy enactment of House Bill 7221 that seeks to raise teachers' salaries: P16,000 for salary grade 1, P30,000 for Teacher I; and P31,000 for Instructor I.
Tabacon said a substantial raise on the salaries of education workers is “necessary, justified, and long-overdue.”
She said the salary increase effected by executive order 201 since 2016 was useless with the spike of prices of goods and commodities, along with the implementation of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law which she said, has done more harm than good for them.
“A three-year-high inflation rates have eroded both the meager salary increases under EO 201 and the income tax savings under the Train Law. This has plunged education workers deeper into the quagmire of personal debts,” she said.
“The selective salary increase given to uniformed personnel in January 2018 has brought the distortions in the public sector salary scheme to new levels. This discriminatory action sows demoralization and resentment among civilian personnel,” she added.
Tabacon said teachers, parents, students share the same sentiment that two years is too long a wait for the Duterte administration to fulfill a key campaign promise.
“Empty stomachs can no longer wait for 2020. We need salary increase now. In the name of adequate and equitable pay for all government workers, we also support House Bills 7197 and 7196 which aim to increase the salaries of all government workers: P16,000 for Salary Grade I and P30,000 for Nurse 1,” she added.
Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) spokesperson Police Superintendent Mardy Hortillisa said the Cocpo has deployed some 600 police personnel to maintain peace and order as well as to assist parents and children on their first day at school.