No Salary Increase for Teachers this February 2019

Public school teachers and employees from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) scored the Duterte administration for failing to still affect the 4th tranche of the salary adjustment on the month of February despite the rarified status of the 2019 budget. Salaries of public school teachers are released every 21st of the month and they were dismayed to find that their February pay still does not reflect the increase.
Previous reports quoted Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s promise that the pay hike based on Executive Order 201 of then President Aquino will be given by February.
“Sec. Diokno earlier blames the lawmakers for the delay of the pay hike due to the latter’s failure to pass the 2019 budget. The legislators have ratified the national budget two weeks ago, what could be Diokno’s excuse now? Clearly, the problem is with the executive,” said Joselyn Martinez, ACT Philippines Chairperson asked.
The ratified 2019 spending program currently awaits President Duterte’s signature.
“Napakaliit na nga lang, huling-huli pa. There seems to be a total lack of urgency among our officials, which just goes to show how out of touch they are with the everyday struggles of ordinary Filipinos,” lamented Joselyn Martinez, ACT National Chairperson.
Related: DepEd Looks Forward To Approval of 2019 National Budget
The fourth and last installment of the pay hike will affect a P575-increase on the monthly salaries of entry-level teachers.
Martinez added that the President has been signing laws ‘left and right’ in the previous days, but the budget is yet to be approved.
“Obviously, P575 will do very little in salvaging us from the difficulties we are in. That’s why we ask Pres. Duterte and Sec. Diokno: what are you doing to make good on the promised pay hike for teachers this year?” questioned Martinez.
She lamented that the ratified 2019 budget did not include the salary increase promise and as such, “the government must give us an update on their efforts to realize this, or if they are doing anything about it at all,” pressed Martinez.
The group reiterates their demand for a significant pay hike of at least Php30,000 basic pay for Teacher 1, Php31,000 for Instructor 1, and Php16,000 for salary grade 1 employee. They also call for the administration to effect an additional Php3,000 to the Php2,000 Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA).
 
Source: ACT Philippines