PUBLIC school teachers and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) will start receiving their annual medical allowance of up to P7,000, the DepEd announced Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara stated that the initiative aligns with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s expanded healthcare support for government employees.
The allowance aims to ease the financial burden of medical expenses, improve healthcare access, and boost the well-being and productivity of DepEd employees, especially those in low-income, remote, and high-risk areas.
“As emphasized by President Marcos, we want our teachers and staff to stay healthy without having to worry about medical bills,” Angara said.
“This is our way of recognizing the commitment of our teachers and staff. This allowance is a way to give back and ensure they never have to choose between their health and the stress of medical bills,” he added.
DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2025, titled "Guidelines on the Grant of Medical Allowance to the DepEd Personnel," covers permanent, co-terminus, fixed-term, casual, or contractual personnel who have rendered at least six months of service within the year.
Consultants, job order workers, apprentices, and student laborers, who do not have an employer-employee relationship with DepEd, are not included in the program.
Qualified DepEd personnel can receive the benefit through three options:
1. Enrollment in group HMO packages procured by DepEd.
2. Individual availment of new or renewed HMO-type products.
3. Direct cash payment via payroll for personnel in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) or where HMO access is limited, unavailable, or individual HMO applications are denied.
Angara clarified that for employees choosing individual availment options, the amount will be released via payroll even before the submission of receipts or other supporting documents.
Personnel will receive P7,000 regardless of the HMO-type amount they avail.
However, Angara cautioned that failure to submit necessary documents within the prescribed period may result in the withholding of the following year's medical allowance until all obligations are settled.
"The initiative is expected to reduce absenteeism, improve staff morale, and contribute to a more resilient and effective teaching workforce, particularly in underserved areas," Angara said. "Lastly, this initiative fully realizes the mandated health benefits for teachers under Republic Act No. 4670, also known as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers." (TPM/SunStar Philippines)