Duterte ‘working on’ salary hike for teachers

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gives his message as he stands as one of the principal sponsors in the wedding of First Lieutenant Jan Tabaculde and First Lieutenant Kerlyn Asuncion at St. Ignatius de Loyola Cathedral in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on June 1, 2019. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte is “working on” a promised salary hike for teachers, Malacañang said on Monday, assuring educators that economic managers are already looking for sources of funding.

“The President is working on that. And hopefully that can be responded to. Our economic managers are doing everything to see how things can be done,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Duterte earlier vowed to increase the salaries of teachers after hiking wages of military and police personnel.

Panelo said the President would not renege on his promise to teachers since they have a special place in his heart.

“You must remember that the mother of the President was a teacher and so his heart is with the teachers,” said Panelo, referring to Duterte’s late mother, Soledad.

Panelo, however, said he could not give a timeline as to when the expected salary hike for teachers would take place since its source of funding is still being looked into.

“Let’s see. Because I’ve talked with the Secretary of Finance and the Budget Manager and they said that they are working on it. Let’s see how it goes,” Panelo said.

“I don’t know where they will get the funds, but they are looking for these sources. I think the economic managers have to answer that,” he added.

Panelo, meanwhile, said he would arrange for a dialogue between the President and teachers’ representatives to hear out their concerns.

Teachers groups have pressed Duterte on his promised pay hike, reminding him that their salaries have been increased at a lower rate compared to other professionals in government.