DepEd to raise teachers’ ‘chalk allowance’ to P5,000 in 2019

PASIG CITY, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing for additional chalk allowance for public school teachers in 2019.

At present, public school teachers are receiving only P3,500 for chalk allowance annually.

When it was first implemented in 2015, the initial P1,000 chalk allowance was later raised to P1,500.

In 2017, through the national budget, it was raised to P2,500.

This year, an additional P1,000 pesos was added making it to a total of P3,500.

The said allowance covers teachers’ expenses for classroom supplies such as chalk, pens, erasers, and paper among others.

Deliberations on the DepEd proposed budget will push through on Tuesday (December 11) which will specifically discuss cash allowances and benefits of teachers across the country.

“The increase will be for next year. In fact, there will be more in 2019 but we do not want to announce hangga’t hindi po nagiging batas iyong budget for 2019,” said Education Undersecretary Anne Sevilla.

Apart from this, Sevilla said they will try to ask approval for some financial benefits that may be given to teaching and non-teaching staff in all schools while still waiting for salary increase.

“The Secretary and the whole department has worked hard na madagdagan hindi lamag ang chalk allowance kundi iba pang benepisyo na nakalagay naman sa Magna Carta ng Teachers and employees,” she added.

Sevilla assured that DepEd offices across the country have already processed the anniversary bonus of teachers which should have been received by them even before the month of December.

‘We will ensure na lahat po ay makakatanggap po ng year-end bonus. All the employess of Deped Should have the anniversary bonus,’ Sevilla concluded.

Source: UNTV