By Mark Vincent A. Durano

Progressive education sector groups decried the lack of prioritization to the education sector for the indecent working conditions that teachers and students are subjected to in a protest along Recto Avenue last, November 22.

The groups denounced the insufficient salary increase provided under the Executive Order No. 64, which is around P3,000.

Educators classified as ‘Teacher I’ with the baseline Salary Grade 11 will receive P30,024 from P27,000 in the second tranche during its implementation in 2025.

However, the progressive members asserted that the increase falls short to supply the demanding cost of living in the Philippines.

In an interview with FEU Advocate, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Spokesperson Roel Mape reiterated their calls for raising the entry level wages of public school teachers to P50,000.

“Ito ang isa sa winowork-out ng Alliance of Concerned Teachers upang mapaganda ang ekonomikong kalagayan ng mga guro natin sa bansa at hindi na po kailangang umalis—mag-ibang bansa ang mga teachers (ACT is working on this to improve the economic state of our teachers so they do not have to leave the country),” he said.

According to the spokesperson, an average entry level of teachers is at around P28,000, which is lower than the prospected P36,000 for a decent and liveable salary.

“Para sa disente at nakabubuhay na sahod, dapat ang isang pamilya ay meron siyang monthly income na P36,000, so sobrang layo nito (For a decent and liveable wage, a family should have P36,000 of monthly income which is very far),” Mape added.

Additionally, he cited that teachers resort to using their own money to provide and repair materials for students.

The spokesperson stated further that educators would spend their personal money on health issues due to the lack of health maintenance organization.

Mape also decried the low salary for private school teachers.

“Dapat ang sahod sa pribado ay ipantay sa publiko dahil sobrang kawawa ang mga private school teachers natin (Salary in private schools should be equal to public schools because our private school teachers suffer too),” he expressed.

On the other hand, clerks in school division offices only receive P13,000 per month which is almost insufficient amid fast hikes of prices, according to Mape. 

With these conditions, the spokesperson shared that some educators work extra jobs or seek funding from private lending companies.

The spokesperson also slammed the government for doling out late benefits that affect their economic statuses despite being overworked but underpaid.

In a separate interview, ACT Education Students - Philippine Normal University (PNU) Chairperson Coleen Caspe called for an increase to the education budget, following the budget cuts across several state universities and colleges (SUC).

“‘Yung taon-taon na pagtatapyas ng budget sa mga state universities [and] colleges... Sa ngayon kasi, kulang-kulang [P14.48] billion ‘yung budget na tinapyas para sa 2025 budget (We call the yearly budget cuts in SUCs… Currently, around P14.48 billion of budget was cut for the 2025 budget),” she said.

The allocation curbed from P128.231 billion in 2024 to P113.749 as proposed by the Department of Budget and Management in the 2025 National Expenditure Program for the 116 SUCs in the country. 

Caspe also slammed the looming implementation of the Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps which would need around P27.12 billion to be implemented next year until 2029.

She claimed that the state only wants the youth to serve as reserve troops amid the tensions against the United States and China.

The student-leader also condemned the longing effects of the lack of priority to their education.

“Magiging limitado ‘yung pagkilos or ‘yung mga gawain na makakapagpaunlad sa wellbeing ng mga future careers natin. Sobrang limitado nu’ng pag-e-exhibit namin ng aming mga kakayahan (The activities that develop our wellbeing in future careers will be limited. We exhibit our abilities limitedly),” Caspe stated.

Meanwhile, she shared that students in PNU suffer under lack of facilities and classrooms.

The protest also called on the Marcos Jr. administration to prioritize increasing the minimum wage, not only for the education sector, but also other sectors that suffer from low minimum wages.

(Photo by Melvin James Urubio/FEU Advocate)