Manila Bulletin
Teachers disappointed with the 'uncertainty' of President's announcement on pay hike
Teachers disappointed with the 'uncertainty' of President's announcement on pay hike
Teachers disappointed with the 'uncertainty' of President's announcement on pay hike
Published Jul 24, 2019 12:13 am
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
“A little bit bigger” is not enough.
While they recognize the mere mention of salary increase in the President’s State of Nation Address (SONA), teachers’ groups expressed anxiety and disappointment on the “uncertainty” of the pronounced pay hike.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), in separate statements, said that the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte on the pay hike of government employees – which include that of the teachers – was not something that they were expecting to hear.
Duterte, during his 4th SONA last Monday, asked the Congress to pass a new Salary Standardization Law (SSL) that will pave the way for salary increase of government workers. “To the teachers who toil and work tirelessly to educate our young, kasali na po dito 'yung hinihingi niyo…hindi masyadong malaki pero it will tide you over,” he said.
However, ACT said that they find “no comfort” in Duterte's announcement of a pay hike that is “a little bit bigger than before” for teachers, nurses, and all other government employees. “If anything, it raises further anxieties among teachers who are hardly making ends meet due to very low pay amid incessantly soaring prices,” said Vladimer Quetua of ACT.
Quetua lamented that Duterte’s pronouncement does not sit well with the teachers “who have waited restlessly over the last three years” for the fulfillment of Duterte's promise to give “due recognition to the value of our service and profession.”
TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas said that teachers – like the general public – patiently waited in anticipation on any mention of salary increase for them in the President’s SONA. “Masasabing hindi naman nabigo ang mga guro, may banggit naman ang Pangulo tungkol sa matagal na naming hinihinging umento na kanya rin namang ipinangako,” he said.
However, Basas noted that TDC teacher-members could not help but express their disappointment on the “uncertainty” of their pay hike. “Bagamat wala pang mga detalye, kinikilala natin ang pahayag ng ito ng Pangulo na magtitiyak na mayroon ngang umento na malamang ay sa susunod na taon pa ibibigay,” he said. “ magkano naman kaya ang umentong ito?” he asked. “Nagbigay na rin ng pahiwatig ang Pangulo, aniya ay hindi ito kalakihan pero mas mataas nang konti sa nakalipas na increase,” he added.
Not Enough
For ACT, Duterte’s “a little bit bigger than before” salary hike pronouncement could not pass off as “good news” to teachers.
Queta said that “a little bit bigger than before” is best exemplified by Senator Bong Go's proposed bill of a Php588 increase in the pay of salary grade 1 employees, with the rest of the grade levels following accordingly. “Such an amount is an insult to our service and contribution to national development,” he added.
For ACT, “a little bit bigger” salary increase “will not feed our families and bring our children to school” nor will “it not free us from the chains of debts which our economic situation has forced upon us.” Queta noted that Duterte’s “a little bit bigger” pay hike pronouncement would also “not raise the standards of living of more than a million civilian employees” and it “will not afford us decent lives and will not bring dignity to our profession.”
Likewise, ACT noted that “a little bit bigger” is not what the President promised the teachers when it comes to increasing their salaries. “Hence, we pledge to remain steadfast in our demand for a substantial salary increase because we deserve a lot more than what this administration is offering us, and we shall not cease until we get what is rightfully ours,” Queta added.
‘Wasted’ Opportunity
For TDC, Duterte wasted an opportunity to “correct” what they consider “wrong” in the implementation of the SSL.
“Ayon sa Pangulo, inihahanda na ang umento para sa teachers, pero magiging bahagi lamang ito ng Salary Standardization Law (SSL), o bersiyon niya ng batas na ang orihinal ay nalikha noon pang 1989,” Basas said. “Kasali ang lahat ng civilian employees sa batas na ito- nurses, guro at mga kawani ng national government agencies,” he added.
TDC, however, lamented that the military and uniformed personnel at other employees of government financial institutions such as of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) have their own law when it comes to pay hike.
While TDC recognized the pronouncement on salary increase, the group was disappointed because it will still be under the SSL. “Ang masakit ay naka-angkla pa rin ito sa SSL at hindi magbibigay ng hiwalay na iskema para sa teachers,” Basas said. “Hindi pa rin itatama ang pagkakamaling nagawa ng gobyerno noon pang panahon ni Cory Aquino nang itinali sa pinakamababang puwesto sa mga propesyunal sa gobyerno ang mga guro at itinuloy ito ng lahat ng nagdaang Pangulo at marahil maging ng kasalukuyang administrasyon,” he added.
For Basas, it was such a waste that Duterte administration chose to course through the SSL the pay hike for teachers. “Nakapanghihinayaang ang pagkakataong ito na dapat sana ay naituwid na ang maling sistema ng pasahod sa ating mga guro,” he said. “Matapos maisabatas ang SSL noong 1989, agad ding sinabi ng Kongreso na may mali sa batas na ito sa isang ulat ng joint education committee noong 1991,” he said. “Yan ang dahilan kung bakit patuloy ang ating paghingi, hindi lang ng dagdag na sahod kundi ng pagtatama sa ating posisyon o salary grade sa ilalim ng SSL at yan din ang dahilan kung bakit nabuo ang panawagang P10,000 across the board increase sa mga guro at empleyado ng DepEd ,” he added.
Basas reiterated that while TDC recognized the pronouncement on salary increase, “gayunman, patuloy nating igigiit na ang sistema ng pasahod sa mga guro ay dapat iwasto.”
ACT Philippines has been calling for P31,000 basic pay for Instructors I and P16,000 for salary grade 1 employees while TDC pushes for P10,000-across-the-board pay hike for teachers and other DepEd personnel.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), in separate statements, said that the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte on the pay hike of government employees – which include that of the teachers – was not something that they were expecting to hear.
Duterte, during his 4th SONA last Monday, asked the Congress to pass a new Salary Standardization Law (SSL) that will pave the way for salary increase of government workers. “To the teachers who toil and work tirelessly to educate our young, kasali na po dito 'yung hinihingi niyo…hindi masyadong malaki pero it will tide you over,” he said.
However, ACT said that they find “no comfort” in Duterte's announcement of a pay hike that is “a little bit bigger than before” for teachers, nurses, and all other government employees. “If anything, it raises further anxieties among teachers who are hardly making ends meet due to very low pay amid incessantly soaring prices,” said Vladimer Quetua of ACT.
Quetua lamented that Duterte’s pronouncement does not sit well with the teachers “who have waited restlessly over the last three years” for the fulfillment of Duterte's promise to give “due recognition to the value of our service and profession.”
TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas said that teachers – like the general public – patiently waited in anticipation on any mention of salary increase for them in the President’s SONA. “Masasabing hindi naman nabigo ang mga guro, may banggit naman ang Pangulo tungkol sa matagal na naming hinihinging umento na kanya rin namang ipinangako,” he said.
However, Basas noted that TDC teacher-members could not help but express their disappointment on the “uncertainty” of their pay hike. “Bagamat wala pang mga detalye, kinikilala natin ang pahayag ng ito ng Pangulo na magtitiyak na mayroon ngang umento na malamang ay sa susunod na taon pa ibibigay,” he said. “ magkano naman kaya ang umentong ito?” he asked. “Nagbigay na rin ng pahiwatig ang Pangulo, aniya ay hindi ito kalakihan pero mas mataas nang konti sa nakalipas na increase,” he added.
Not Enough
For ACT, Duterte’s “a little bit bigger than before” salary hike pronouncement could not pass off as “good news” to teachers.
Queta said that “a little bit bigger than before” is best exemplified by Senator Bong Go's proposed bill of a Php588 increase in the pay of salary grade 1 employees, with the rest of the grade levels following accordingly. “Such an amount is an insult to our service and contribution to national development,” he added.
For ACT, “a little bit bigger” salary increase “will not feed our families and bring our children to school” nor will “it not free us from the chains of debts which our economic situation has forced upon us.” Queta noted that Duterte’s “a little bit bigger” pay hike pronouncement would also “not raise the standards of living of more than a million civilian employees” and it “will not afford us decent lives and will not bring dignity to our profession.”
Likewise, ACT noted that “a little bit bigger” is not what the President promised the teachers when it comes to increasing their salaries. “Hence, we pledge to remain steadfast in our demand for a substantial salary increase because we deserve a lot more than what this administration is offering us, and we shall not cease until we get what is rightfully ours,” Queta added.
‘Wasted’ Opportunity
For TDC, Duterte wasted an opportunity to “correct” what they consider “wrong” in the implementation of the SSL.
“Ayon sa Pangulo, inihahanda na ang umento para sa teachers, pero magiging bahagi lamang ito ng Salary Standardization Law (SSL), o bersiyon niya ng batas na ang orihinal ay nalikha noon pang 1989,” Basas said. “Kasali ang lahat ng civilian employees sa batas na ito- nurses, guro at mga kawani ng national government agencies,” he added.
TDC, however, lamented that the military and uniformed personnel at other employees of government financial institutions such as of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) have their own law when it comes to pay hike.
While TDC recognized the pronouncement on salary increase, the group was disappointed because it will still be under the SSL. “Ang masakit ay naka-angkla pa rin ito sa SSL at hindi magbibigay ng hiwalay na iskema para sa teachers,” Basas said. “Hindi pa rin itatama ang pagkakamaling nagawa ng gobyerno noon pang panahon ni Cory Aquino nang itinali sa pinakamababang puwesto sa mga propesyunal sa gobyerno ang mga guro at itinuloy ito ng lahat ng nagdaang Pangulo at marahil maging ng kasalukuyang administrasyon,” he added.
For Basas, it was such a waste that Duterte administration chose to course through the SSL the pay hike for teachers. “Nakapanghihinayaang ang pagkakataong ito na dapat sana ay naituwid na ang maling sistema ng pasahod sa ating mga guro,” he said. “Matapos maisabatas ang SSL noong 1989, agad ding sinabi ng Kongreso na may mali sa batas na ito sa isang ulat ng joint education committee noong 1991,” he said. “Yan ang dahilan kung bakit patuloy ang ating paghingi, hindi lang ng dagdag na sahod kundi ng pagtatama sa ating posisyon o salary grade sa ilalim ng SSL at yan din ang dahilan kung bakit nabuo ang panawagang P10,000 across the board increase sa mga guro at empleyado ng DepEd ,” he added.
Basas reiterated that while TDC recognized the pronouncement on salary increase, “gayunman, patuloy nating igigiit na ang sistema ng pasahod sa mga guro ay dapat iwasto.”
ACT Philippines has been calling for P31,000 basic pay for Instructors I and P16,000 for salary grade 1 employees while TDC pushes for P10,000-across-the-board pay hike for teachers and other DepEd personnel.