PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., joined by re-elected Senate President Francis G. Escudero and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, delivered his fourth State of the Nation Address in the House of Representatives on Monday. — PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
by Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter
Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., during his fourth State of the Nation Address, underscored the importance of teachers and vowed to compensate public school teachers for their excess hours and additional workload this school year.
“Ang pinakamahalaga sa sistema ng edukasyon ay ang ating mga mahal na guro [Our beloved teachers are the most important part of the education system],” Mr. Marcos said.
In 2024, Mr. Marcos already spoke about prioritizing teachers’ wellbeing and, in line with this, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued Memorandum No. 053, s. 2024, wherein teachers are only required to teach for six hours per day.
In cases of overtime, teachers may only claim pay for up to two extra hours daily.
“At ngayong school year na ito, makakatanggap na kayo ng kabayaran para sa inyong teaching overload at para sa inyong overtime [This school year, you will receive compensation for your teaching overload and overtime],” Mr. Marcos said.
In addition to overtime and overload pay, the Education department on Monday said it doubled the teaching supplies allowance to P10,000, along with the first-ever medical allowance for teachers.
“Teachers in private schools will now receive a ₱24,000 salary subsidy, a ₱6,000 increase,” the DepEd said in its press release.
Source: DepEd
“Mula sa simula, malinaw ang layunin natin na makinig, ayusin ang kailangang ayusin, at itayo ang mga kulang [From the beginning, it was clear that our goal was to listen, fix what needs to be fixed, and build what we’re lacking],” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in a press release.
“This is the result of listening to our teachers, parents, and actual students in schools,” Mr. Angara said in Filipino.
Reduced paperwork
To highlight the government’s support in easing the daily burden of teaching professionals, unnecessary paperwork has been removed from their responsibilities.
“Hindi tayo tumitigil maghanap ng mga paraan upang pagaanin kahit paano ang inyong pasanin sa araw-araw [We have not stopped in finding ways to ease the burden you carry each day],” Mr. Marcos said.
“Tinanggal na natin ang halos isandaang dokumentong kailangan niyong atupagin noon na wala namang kinalaman sa inyong pagtuturo [We have removed nearly a hundred documents you used to deal with that had nothing to do with your actual teaching],” he added.
PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO
In June, the Department of Education (DepEd) trimmed down 57% of the paperwork requirements for public school teachers to create more time for classroom teaching.
Under DepEd Order No. 06, s. 2025, the number of forms required from teachers was reduced from 174 to five regularly accomplished forms.
Meanwhile, 31 forms for teacher ancillary tasks and 39 forms for teaching-related assignments can still be completed depending on the “agreed designations of teachers by virtue of their rationalized workload.”
Mr. Marcos also noted that the remaining documents will be processed digitally on the government-issued laptops.
“We’re going to make the remaining paperwork digital so you can work on it online with your new laptops,” he said in Filipino.
Skepticism from teachers
Despite these pledges, some educators remain unconvinced.
“The OT (overtime) pay boasted by President Marcos today, although included in the Department of Education (DepEd) Order, seems unrealistic because there are no funding,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers – NCR Union President Ruby Bernardo said in Filipino on a Facebook message.
“Thank you pa rin ang OT ni teacher [Teachers still only receive a “thank you” for their OT],” she added.
Aside from the overtime compensation, Ms. Bernardo also expressed concern over the continued failure to respond to teachers’ calls for a salary increase.
“No mention of salary increase for teachers and government employees, wage hike for workers in the private sector in BBM’s 4th SONA,” she said.
On June 30, House Bill 203, which seeks to adjust the entry-level salary of public school teachers, was refiled in the House of Representatives. It aims to increase the salary of teachers from Salary Grade 11, or around P30,000, to P50,000.
