P10-K teaching supplies allowance doable in 3 years: solon

The Senate has approved on third and final reading the institutionalization of the staggered increase of teaching supplies allowance in the next four years. (PNA file photo)

MANILA – A leader of the House of Representatives is pushing for the staggered increase in the teaching supplies allowance with the goal of PHP10,000 in the next three years.

In a statement on Wednesday, Deputy Speaker Michael Romero proposed three possible options for the gradual increase of teaching supplies allowance based on a calendar year reference, and not a school year reference, for fiscal purposes.

“Let us remember that the teachers will compare their financial plight with those of the military and uniformed personnel, whose take home pay concerns were addressed in just three years. The Senate plan takes four to five years. I believe we can do it in three years,” Romero said.

Under the first option, the staggered increase by salary grade in batches are as follows: For Teacher 1 to Teacher 2, PHP6,000 in 2021, PHP8,000 in 2022, PHP10,000 in 2023; for Teacher 3 to Master Teacher 2, PHP4,000 in 2021, PHP8,000 in 2022, PHP10,000 in 2023; and for those higher than Master Teacher 2, PHP3,000 in 2021, PHP6,000 in 2022, PHP10,000 in 2023.

He said the Department of Education (DepEd) is a bottom-heavy organization, stressing that there are more Teacher 1 and Teacher 2 personnel out in the schools.

For the second option, the allowance shall be increased by calendar year to PHP5,000 in 2021, PHP7,000 in 2022, and PHP10,000 in 2023.

Romero noted that while the second option is simple and straightforward, it would entail the highest funding.

The last option proposes an increase depending on the years in service of teachers. Those with 0 to under 5 years of service will receive PHP4,000 in 2021, PHP6,000 in 2022, and PHP10,000 in 2023; those with 5 to 10 years of service shall receive PHP6,000 in 2021, 7,500 in 2022, and PHP10,000 in 2023; those with 10 to 20 years of service shall get PHP,7,500 in 2021, PHP9,000 in 2022, and PHP10,000 in 2023; and those with more than 20 years of service shall receive PHP8,000 in 2021 and PHP10,000 in 2022.

Romero said the DepEd and Department of Budget and Management would be in possession of the data on how many of the personnel are at which ranks and how many personnel have the years of service by the bracketing indicated in the columns for Option 1 and Option 3 respectively.

“The calibrations of the peso values of allowances are variables which can be adjusted depending on estimates of affordability and funds availability. The amounts indicated are suggestions but the end goal on the third year is all the same at PHP10,000,” he said.

The Senate has approved on third and final reading the institutionalization of the staggered increase of teaching supplies allowance in the next four years.

Under Senate Bill 1092, the staggered increase in the teaching supplies allowance are as follows: PHP5,000 for school years (SYs) 2021-2022 and 2022-2023; PHP7,500 for SY 2023-2024 and PHP10,000 for SY 2024-2025.

The DepEd said the proposed law would be a “timely financial boost to our brave and resourceful teachers who courageously accepted the challenge of delivering education in these difficult times.”

“We welcome this development, and the Senate’s suggested staggered approach will help us balance this with our fiscal programming considerations,” the DepEd said in a statement.