DepEd limits reimbursement of monthly communication allowance to P300

The Department of Education (DepEd) has limited the allowed monthly communication allowance of teachers that can be reimbursed to just P300, a recent department order showed.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones recently signed a department order last week (D.O. No. 038 Series 2020) which provides for the mechanics of reimbursing communication allowances for those who worked during the lockdown.

“The amount which may be reimbursed shall not exceed P300 per month, to be certified by the authorized claimant as actual expenses incurred in connection with the discharge of their official functions and are necessary to support the operations of the agency amidst the pandemic,” read the guidelines.

Those who wish to reimburse communication expenses need to show proof of purchase of prepaid load, payment of postpaid line, or proof of an internet subscription.

The reimbursement, according to the guidelines, will cover those who worked from home during the lockdown, those assigned to be part of the skeleton workforce, and those who were asked to physically report for work on certain days while lockdowns were in effect.

The reimbursement will be applied retroactively from March 16 until December.

The approved P300 amount is far from the requested amount of teachers’ groups of a P1000 additional monthly allowance to cover additional expenses brought about by the shift to distance learning.

The DepEd had said it’s requested P4 billion budget for 2021 includes a provision for load allowance of teachers, saying it recognizes the additional expenses while distance learning is in effect.