The Alliance of Concerned Teachers today hailed members of the Senate for approving on second reading a proposed bill giving public school teachers a P9,000 salary increase.

On June 11, 2008, the Senate’s Committees on Education, Arts and Culture; Civil Service and Government Reorganization; and Finance, jointly submitted Committee Report No. 77 endorsing Senate Bill No. 2408 for final approval by the Senate.

 The bill, entitled “An Act Providing for Additional Support and Compensation for Educators in Basic Education,” seeks to grant a P9,000 across-the-board salary increase for all public school teachers and non-teaching personnel. The increase will be given in three equal tranches over three years.  It also provides for a P1,000 annual medical check-up allowance as well as a Magna Carta Bonus, a cash allowance equivalent to the benefits provided by R.A. 4670 (the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers) but which is otherwise not enjoyed by teachers. Nationally-paid teachers as well as locally-funded teachers are entitled to these benefits.

The Senators who passed the bill on second reading were: Allan Peter Cayetano, Juan Ponce Enrile, Richard Gordon, Gringo Honasan, Pia Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Loren Legarda, Mar Roxas, Rodolfo Biazon, Jinggoy Estrada, Francis Pangilinan, and Aquilino Pimentel.

“We commend these senators for standing up for the rights of teachers to a decent salary,” said ACT chairperson Antonio Tinio. “This is absolutely necessary if government is really serious about achieving quality education. We’re glad that senators from both the administration and the opposition have expressed support for the bill.”

“In particular, we appreciate the personal effort made by Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano to push this measure forward. Our organization worked closely with him and his staff to come up with a bill that would address the most pressing concerns of teachers,” added Tinio.

ACT called on the House of Representatives to fast-track their own counterpart measure of the bill.

Tinio noted that the issue required continued vigilance on the part of teachers to ensure the bill’s enactment into law. “We know that this is just a small step forward. In the coming weeks and months ahead, we will step up our campaign for higher salaries.”

ACT is preparing a big mobilization of teachers for the upcoming State of the Nation Address in July. #