By Teachers’ Dignity Coalition national chairman Benjo Basas
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) has formally sought an update on the status of the 2023 Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) for nearly one million teachers and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd).
In a letter addressed to Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara, the group expressed appreciation to the DepEd chief for his initiative that led to the restoration of DepEd’s eligibility for the 2023 PBB — a development that has “brought renewed hope” to education personnel who have long awaited the incentive.
Citing verified information from the Office of the Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development, as of Oct. 28, 2025, the DepEd Central Office had reviewed and submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for validation the Form 1.0 of only two regional offices — Cordillera Administrative Region and Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9). The rest of the regions remain in various stages of review and consolidation before submission to the DBM.
It has now been a week since that update, and we respectfully seek your guidance and confirmation on the current status of the regional submissions, the progress of review and endorsement by the Central Office and the DBM’s validation process.
Such information is essential in determining the possible timeline for the release of the PBB 2023, which teachers have been anticipating for months. The PBB, while modest, has always been regarded by the teaching community as a meaningful acknowledgment of their service and dedication amid the many challenges they face in schools and classrooms.
The TDC also sought clarification on whether the PBB or a similar performance-based incentive will continue in future cycles, noting that the program is currently under policy review. The group urged the DepEd to ensure that teachers remain part of any incentive scheme recognizing public service excellence.
In the same letter, I extended appreciation to Secretary Angara for his recent pro-teacher initiatives, including the refinement of the Expanded Career Progression policy and the approval of the Wellness Break, which he said reflect the administration’s “responsiveness in addressing long-standing concerns of the teaching force.”