Palace says no salary increase for teachers in 2015

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang Palace has confirmed on Sunday, October 5 that proposed salary increase of the Congress for teachers in 2015 did not pushed through.

Palace: No Salary Increase for Public School Teachers in 2015


Palace Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that lawmakers must consider first the source of budget for the pay hikes.

In an interview on state-run Radyo ng Bayan, Coloma said: "Ang aking batid ay kapag mayroong panukalang batas na mayroong budgetary considerations, katulad nga niyan, isa sa mga standard na procedure na sinusunod ng ating Kongreso ay inaalam ‘yung budgetary implications niyan, tinatanong sa ating Department of Budget and Management dahil mayroon silang patakaran na hindi sila magpapasa ng batas na hindi tiyak ‘yung pagkukunan ng pondo."

Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad said that will be no salary increases for government employees, including public school teachers, under the proposed 2015 budget.

But, the government will give two bonuses in 2015 – a performance enhancement bonus equivalent to a month's worth pay and a P5,000 performance-based bonus.

Abad said that salary hike for teachers may sacrifice budget for pensions and retirement benefits for police and military personnel.

He said that government is still studying the salary hike for government employees and recommended to include this in the 2016 national budget.

In September, Secretary Armin Luistro said that the proposed salary increase by teachers' group Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT Teachers) is realistic. ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio has filed House Bill 245 to raise salary from minimum of P18,549 to P25,000 a month.

In addition, Senator Alan Cayetano wants to give teachers additional compensation worth P10,000 in the form of allowances from the school board's funds (P9,000) and allowances for medical check ups (P1,000). But Coloma said that the proposals need to be studied first.

Though there will be no salary increase for teachers in 2015, the government has allocated P92.3 billion in the proposed budget for the hiring of 39,000 new teachers, as well as the construction of new classrooms.



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