MEMBERS of Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) in Negros Island Region have asked President Rodrigo Duterte to grant them a salary increase as they commemorated the World Teachers’ Day, Wednesday.
ACT-NIR president Gualberto Dajao said they appeal to the President to certify as urgent House Bill 56 authored by the ACT Teachers Partylist.
The bill seeks an increase from P19,000 to P25,000 as entry salary of teachers and P16,000 for non-teaching personnel, and an increase of personnel Economic Relief Allowance of P2,000 to P5,000.
“We hope our congressmen from NIR will support or even co-author the bill,” Dajao said.
He said the teachers’ status has been left unattended by the government.
There have been reports that teachers are included in the additional allowances of P5,000 per month given by the President but upon clarification, they were informed that it only covers the police and military personnel, Dajao added.
ACT-Bacolod president Richard Gelangre said at present, teachers can hardly have a take home pay of P3,000 per month as the ATM cards of most of them have been pawned to lending companies.
“That’s why very popular among teachers is ‘Judith Parreño’ because they are always catching up on the ‘due date and always renew’ their loans with the lending companies,” Gelangre quipped.
Dajao added that a teacher’s salary at present is not even enough to buy two bottles of bottled water for their dried throats for talking almost whole day inside the classrooms.
The 5th World Teachers’ Day celebration was themed, “Valuing Teachers, Improving Their Status,” which Dajao said is very significant of their appeal.