By Vladimer Quetua
Chairperson, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Philippines
We, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, hail the passage of “Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act” doubling public school teachers’ teaching supplies allowance from P5,000 to P10,000 starting School Year (SY) 2025-2026.
ACT has consistently campaigned and lobbied for increased teaching supplies allowance for teachers. Through the efforts of Rep. Antonio Tinio and Rep. France Castro during budget deliberations and the lobbying of ACT leaders and members, the annual chalk allowance increased from P700 to P1,000 in 2012, to P1,500 in 2016, P2,500 in 2017 and P3,500 in 2018. They then filed House Bill (HB) 222, An Act Providing for a Teaching Supplies Allowance For Public School Teachers and Appropriating Funds Therefor, which hikes from P2,500 to P5,000 the cash allowance for the purchase of chalks, erasers, forms, and other classroom supplies and materials currently given to classroom teachers in public schools annually.
ACT Teachers party-list spearheaded the most recent measure in the House of Representatives, which was passed in December 2023 with the approved provision of P7,500 for SY 2024-2025 and P10,000 for SY 2025-2026 onwards. The counterpart bill in Senate was passed in May 2023. Only P5,000, however, has been granted for SY 2024-2025 in the reconciled Senate Bill 1964 and House Bill 9682 of the Bicameral Conference Committee. The enrolled copy of the reconciled bill was officially transmitted to the President on May 3, 2025. The ceremonial re-enactment of the signing into law was held on Monday, June 3, 2024 at the Malacañang Palace.
Patunay ito na marami tayong makakamit na tagumpay sa sama-samang pagkilos katuwang ang ating tunay na kinatawan at tinig sa loob ng Kongreso, ang ACT Teachers Party-list, na magmula pa noong 2011 ay isinulong na ang mga panukalang batas na magbibigay at magtataas ng teaching supplies allowance sa ating mga pampublikong guro.
Matagal nang abonado ang mga guro sa mga pangangailangan sa eskwela. Taun-taon ay malaki ang hinuhugot namin mula sa sariling bulsa para sa pagkukumpuni at pagsasaayos ng silid-aralan at maging ang mga mismong kagamitan sa pagtuturo at pag-aaral ng mga bata. Kaya’t malaking bagay para sa mga pampublikong guro na maitaas ang aming teaching supplies allowance. Mas malaking bagay pa kung maitataas sa disente at nakabubuhay na antas ang sweldo ng mga guro at kawani na tuluy-tuloy din naming ipinananawagan.
We also reiterate our call for salary increase including P50,000 entry-level pay for teachers, P33,000 salary for SG1 employees, SG16 for Instructor 1 in state universities and colleges, and P33,000 national minimum wage for all workers.