THE Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Davao Region (ACT-Davao) said that it welcomes the creation of additional teaching positions for School Year 2026–2027; however, it raised concerns about the longstanding problems of the education sector.
Reynaldo S. Pardillo, ACT-Davao City District President, said they have been asking for additional teaching positions for a long time, but some of the major problems in schools remain unresolved.
“Bisan unsaon pag-ilis sa curriculum o school calendar, dili kini makasulbad sa kakulang sa pondo, classrooms, learning materials, ug suporta nga gikinahanglan sa mga magtutudlo ug estudyante,” he said in a statement on May 27, 2026.
(No matter how many changes are made to the curriculum or the school calendar, these will not solve the lack of funding, classrooms, learning materials, and support needed by teachers and students.)
At present, the Department of Education in Davao Region has 56,701 personnel. Of that number, 49,156 are in teaching positions, 4,709 are in non-teaching positions, and 2,836 are in teaching-related positions.
He added that addressing the education crisis requires more than adding teaching items, but ensuring that there is adequate funding for schools, sufficient classrooms and facilities, enough support personnel, timely promotion and reclassification of teachers, and decent salaries that recognize the vital role of teachers in society.
“Ang kalidad nga edukasyon dili makab-ot pinaagi lamang sa pagdugang og mga posisyon. Kinahanglan og seryosong pagpamuhunan sa pampublikong edukasyon ug tinuod nga suporta sa mga magtutudlo nga matag adlaw nag-atubang sa kakulang sa sistema aron masiguro ang pagkat-on sa mga estudyante,” he said.
(Quality education cannot be achieved merely by increasing the number of positions. It requires serious investment in public education and genuine support for teachers who face systemic shortcomings every day to ensure that students are able to learn effectively.)
Pardillo hopes that every school in the region will be provided with sufficient funding so that teachers will no longer have to spend their own money on the repair of their classrooms or the purchase of other necessary equipment.
He said that although teachers have an “instructional allowance” for instructional materials and other classroom needs, it is still insufficient because it is only given once a year.
He added that this year’s Brigada Eskwela, many teachers would once again look for solutions or financial resources for repainting their classrooms and buying materials they need to organize and improve these for their students. He added that teachers will most likely use their own money to ensure that Brigada Eskwela for this school year is successfully carried out.
The academic year 2026–2027 started on June 8, 2026, and about 1.4 to 1.5 million students in the Davao Region are expected to enroll. RGP
