The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) expressed strong support for proposed legislation seeking to significantly raise the salaries of public school teachers, calling the measures long overdue and a test of political will for both Congress and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
House Bill 203, authored by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tino, proposes a P50,000 monthly salary for entry-level public school teachers, while Sen. Risa Hontiveros refiled the bill that calls for a P15,000 across-the-board increase for all teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd). TDC described both measures as crucial steps toward restoring dignity to the teaching profession.
“We welcome these bold proposals and we challenge the leadership of both houses of Congress, as well as Malacañang, to act with urgency and sincerity. Our teachers have waited long enough, We’re not asking for too much, this is about just recognition and fairness, above basic survival in today’s economy,” said TDC national chairman Benjo Basas.
Basas emphasized that the call for a substantial salary hike is rooted in economic, historical and moral grounds.
“A teacher I earning just over P30,000 a month can barely keep up with the rising cost of living. Our public school teachers are among the lowest paid in the government workforce and, sadly, among the lowest paid teachers in Southeast Asia. That is a national shame,” Basas added.
The TDC also urged the government to complement any pay increase with other essential reforms that address the broader conditions of public education.
“We need a comprehensive approach — one that protects teachers from abuse, ensures manageable class sizes, institutionalizes health benefits, provides adequate allowances, and most importantly, allocates sufficient funds for all the necessities of basic education,” Basas explained citing some bills that respond to each of those concerns.
The group vowed to continue lobbying for teacher welfare and educational reforms in both chambers of Congress and called on the public to support their cause.
“If we truly value education, we must start by valuing our teachers — not in words, but through concrete policies and budget priorities,” Basas concluded.