Legarda pushes for Php 25,000 minimum salary for teachers

Senator Loren Legarda delivers the Philippines’ Policy Statement for the 37th UNESCO General Conference on November 8, 2013 in Paris, France. Legarda, head of the Philippine Delegation, stressed on how the Philippines has been working on environmental protection, disaster risk reduction and preparedness, cultural and heritage promotion and preservation, peace building and sustainable development. (Facebook photo)

MANILA – Senator Loren Legarda has filed a bill seeking to increase the minimum salary of public school teachers in the elementary and secondary levels to Php 25,000 and non-teaching personnel to Php 15,000 per month.

Under Senate Bill No. 2351, Legarda said the salaries of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.

The current minimum salary of public school teachers is Php 18,549 while that of the non-teaching personnel is Php 9,000.

“This bill aims to raise the salary of public school teachers and non-teaching personnel to ensure that the State fulfills its responsibility of ensuring adequate compensation for teachers and to prevent our competent and efficient educators from leaving the country for better opportunities abroad,” said Legarda.

She stressed that Republic Act No.

4670, or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, protects the rights of public educators to a decent salary by ensuring that compensation levels compare favorably to those paid in other occupations requiring equivalent qualifications and that they ensure reasonable standard of life for themselves and their families.

“The country can only move forward in the global knowledge economy if government ensures that it invests enough on improving its human capital,” said Legarda.

The proposed law also ensures that appropriation for the salary increase of teaching and non-teaching personnel in public schools shall take priority over non-educational and non-agricultural budgetary allocations.