ACT demands ₱20,000 incentive for teachers, DepEd employees

“We call on Pres. Marcos to concretely show the care for teachers by directing the Department of Budget and Management to release additional funds to augment the SRI of DepEd personnel,” ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua said in a statement.

Quetua stressed that it is a “worn-out and unacceptable excuse” for DepEd to say it has too many employees, and that the agency savings cannot afford to pay the full benefits.

“Dehado na nga ang mga guro sa suweldo, dehado pa rin sa benepisyo. Napag-iwanan na ng ibang propesyon ang sahod namin, kulang pa ang matatanggap naming SRI,” he said.

[Translation: Teachers are not only at a disadvantage regarding their salaries, but also with their benefits. We have already been left behind by other professions, now even our SRI is not given in full.]

According to Quetua, DepEd employees only received their 2019 incentive worth ₱7,000 before Christmas that year and the remaining ₱3,000 in February 2020.

He added that the same thing happened in the 2021, when the ₱7,000 incentive was released before the year ended, while the remaining ₱3,000 was distributed in January 2022.

Quetua said in 2020, DepEd employees only received ₱6,190 incentive, while other government employees received ₱10,000.

“The teachers should not be disadvantaged for delivering the most far-reaching government service,” Quetua said. “The national government should ensure that our teachers receive their benefits in full and on time, in recognition of their valuable service to our youth and children.”