House Deputy Minority leader and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro spearheaded the filing of House Bill (HB) 9920, alongside the Makabayan bloc, on Tuesday. The bill aims to address the financial struggles of public school educators by elevating their minimum monthly salary from P27,000 to P50,000, equivalent to salary grade 15 under the Salary Standardization Law.
In the bill’s explanatory note, lawmakers emphasized the dire situation faced by many teachers, who are compelled to seek opportunities abroad due to insufficient compensation amidst the rising costs of living exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Teachers are given increases of a little over P6,000 spread across four years, or about P1,500 annually,” the bill states, highlighting the inadequacy of incremental raises against inflation and taxes.
The proposed measure also seeks to uplift education support personnel by adjusting their salaries annually to align with the current cost of living, pegged at P1,119 per day or P33,570 per month — an amount deemed necessary for a family of five.
ACT has been advocating for a P50,000 salary increase for entry-level teachers since October of the previous year, citing the need for comprehensive support beyond salary adjustments. Their appeals include provisions for free medical checkups and treatment, augmented instructional allowances, compensation for teaching overload, and addressing shortages in facilities and resources.