DepEd calling for expeditious passing of H.B. 4734

MANILA, Oct. 6 (PNA) -- Education Undersecretary Franklin Sunga on Sunday said the Department of Education (DepEd), along with various teacher organizations, will sign this week a manifesto calling for the expeditious passing of House Bill 4734 which allocates a P9,000 salary increase for teaching and non-teaching personnel of the agency.

Sunga said the manifesto, once signed by public school teachers and non-teaching personnel of the agency, will be immediately forwarded it to Congress.

"I suggested that for teachers' day, which is October 5, but will be celebrated (today), that a manifest be made to be given to the House for the across-the-board allowance increase of P9,000 stating that we support the bill," he added.

Sunga said even teacher organizations and groups have committed to sign.

The Senate has already passed on third reading Senate Bill 2408, which gives an additional P9,000 to teachers in three equal tranches until 2010. However, the Lower House is yet to deliberate on the matter.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus expressed support for the manifesto.

"Education must be restored to its noble pedestal as a preferred career. The cream of the crop should become the teachers of our youth. This can only happen if teachers are given the pay and respect they deserve, equal to present top paid career personnel," he said.

Sunga said they expect the salary increase to be passed by the House of Representatives before the end of the year.

Non-teaching personnel of the agency immediate took notice of the move and expressed support.

"If ratified by the House, this will be a big help to the DepEd family for both the teaching and non-teaching," Louisa Roberto, Management and Audit Analyst IV and Officer in charge of the Management and Audit Division of DepEd said.

Tesa Gaila Ricafort, a teacher III re-assigned to the management division, said "the increase in salary is a recognition of the teachers' significant contribution to nation building."

Militant groups have already conducted rallies before the House of Representatives calling for the immediate passage of the bill.

At present, the basic salary of teachers stood at P10,000.

The proposed law provides that the salary increase will be paid in three equal tranches annually from 2008 to 2010. It also provides some other compensation and support like the remuneration from local government units, medical allowance, and the Magna Carta bonus.

The Salary Standardization Act provides for a uniformed pay scale for government employees, including teachers.

Recently, however, lawmakers are pushing for the approval of a measure that exempts teachers from the salary standardization law in order to provide adequate remuneration and job fulfillment.

Lapus likewise mentioned other efforts to improve teachers' welfare.

These are: the payment of some P1.7 billion in arrears representing government shares in contribution to the Government Service Insurance System; the release of P400 million last year to partially settle unpaid loyalty pays, step increments and other entitlements of DepEd personnel especially teachers, the release of P77.8 million from the DepEd 2007 NCR savings for the payment of the much-awaited 1999 "over-and-above" allowances of Metro Manila-based public school teachers that allowed the immediate payment of some unpaid benefits.

Lapus said he is confident that House Bill 4734 will pass the Lower House after the House leadership assured him they will give priority to the pending legislation.

"Speaker Prospero Nograles and incoming House Appropriation Committee Chairman Junie Cua are well aware of the urgency of the measure and have committed to work for its muster. I am hopeful the bill can be signed into law before Congress goes on recess on October 11, 2008," Lapus said.

Earlier, Rep. Del de Guzman, chairman of the Committee on Basic Education, approved the measure.

DepEd has been actively lobbying for the passage of House Bill 4734 and its counterpart Senate Bill 2408 giving additional compensation to public school teachers.

Lapus believes that the enactment into law of this bill will greatly improve the lot of the hardworking teachers and will directly impact the quality of education in the country.

The Senate has passed on third reading its version authored by Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Eduardo Angara, and Ramon Revilla. The Senate version of the bill has been transmitted to the House of Representatives.

Under the bill, teachers and education personnel will get an additional pay of P9,000 per month to be paid in full within three years at P3,000 per month increase each year.

The total increase will make teachers' pay at par with those received by uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

At present, public school teachers receive at least P12,000 in monthly basic salary (up from P9,000 in 2006) and P2,500 additional compensation and personal economic allowances.

Recently, DepEd has released guidelines to implement the Civil Service Commission (CSC) ruling which allows teachers six-hours a day of actual classroom teaching.