Teachers across the nation are calling on President BBM to sign into law the P10K teaching allowance bill as soon as possible. The bill, known as the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act or Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1964, was passed by the Senate on May 22, 2023.
The bill seeks to increase the yearly supplies allowance of teachers in all public schools. Currently, teachers receive only P24 a day under the existing P5,000 teaching supplies allowance for the entire school year. The new bill proposes to gradually increase this allowance from the current P5,000 to P7,500 for the school year 2023 - 2024 and P10,000 per teacher in the succeeding school years.
Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., the sponsor of the bill, noted that public school teachers are overworked and underpaid. He also pointed out that the current cash allowance includes a P500 allocation for medical examination, which reduces the amount available for the purchase of teaching materials and equipment.
The bill has been passed by the Senate during the 17th and 18th Congresses. It is now awaiting the President’s signature for its ratification and enrolment.
The government will need to allocate an additional P2 billion when the amount reaches P7,500 and P4.5 billion when it reaches P10,000 in the year 2025. This is less than one percent of the total budget of the Department of Education.
Teachers’ groups have been asking the government for a better compensation package. This bill is seen as a significant step towards improving the working conditions of teachers in the country.
The teachers’ plea to BBM comes at a crucial time, as the bill has already been passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The teaching community is hopeful that the President will heed their call and sign the bill into law promptly.