Gatchalian seeks Senate review on implementation of Magna Carta for Public School Teachers

Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking an inquiry in aid of legislation on the implementation of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act No. 4670), a law that seeks to improve the living and working conditions of public school teachers.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 522, Gatchalian seeks a comprehensive and critical review that will identify the gaps, issues, and challenges in advancing public teachers' rights and welfare through the 'Magna Carta.' Gatchalian lamented that though 50 years have passed since the law was enacted, some of its provisions have not been implemented at all, while others are either partially or selectively enforced.

For instance, the Magna Carta mandates that public school teachers are entitled to free and compulsory medical examination before they take up teaching. This shall be repeated not less than once a year. When medical examinations show that treatment and hospitalization are necessary, they shall be provided for free by the government entity paying teachers' salaries.

According to Gatchalian, the failure to ensure these health benefits are magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatens the health and welfare of teachers in the roll-out of distance learning.

The law also mandates that public school teachers shall not render more than six hours of actual classroom teaching in a day. Under the law, teachers are entitled to additional compensation if their work exceeds six hours a day and if they accomplish tasks outside their normal duties.

Despite this provision, a February 2019 policy paper from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) observed that actual teaching is increasingly sidelined by the multitude of non-teaching tasks. These include additional designations in line with student guidance, budget, disaster response, and health. Teachers are also expected to participate in the implementation of various government programs such as mass immunization, deworming, feeding, and election, among others.

The Magna Carta also mandates that public school teacher salaries should be comparable with those of other professions where similar educational qualifications and training are required. Gatchalian pointed out that despite their qualifications and the length of their service in government, teachers are left far behind by other professionals, including their armed counterparts.

"Napapanahong masuri natin kung paano ba pinapangalagaan ng ating gobyerno ang ating mga guro, lalo na't mahalaga ang papel nila sa pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon sa gitna ng pandemya. Sa gagawin nating pagsusuri, nais nating matukoy kung paano pa natin mapapaigting ang pagpapatupad ng Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, upang masiguro nating lubos na napapangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga guro," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

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'Magna Carta for Public School Teachers' napapanahong repasuhin-Gatchalian

Upang matiyak na napapangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga guro sa pampublikong mga paaraIan, isinusulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pagrepaso sa pagpapatupad ng Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act No. 4670).

Inihain ng senador ang Senate Resolution No. 522 upang matukoy ang mga pagkukulang, mga hamon, at iba pang mga isyu sa pagpapatupad ng naturang batas na layong itaguyod ang kapakanan ng mga guro. Bagama't mahigit limampung (50) taon na ang nakaraan simula nang ipatupad ang batas, pinuna ni Gatchalian na hindi lahat ng probisyon nito ay naipatutupad.

Kabilang dito ang libre at taunang medical examination bago sumabak ang mga guro sa pagtuturo. Bagama't may ganitong probisyon ang Magna Carta, hindi nakapaglalaan ng halaga sa taunang budget para sa check-up at pagpapagamot ng mga guro.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, mas nabigyang-diin ang kakulangang ito sa gitna ng COVID-19 pandemic na ngayo'y nagbabanta sa kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga guro sa pagpapatupad ng distance learning.

Mandato rin ng Magna Carta na hindi dapat lalagpas sa anim (6) na oras ang pagtuturo at pagtatrabaho ng mga guro.

Ayon sa isang pag-aaral ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies o PIDS, natatabunan ang mga guro ng mga gawaing walang kinalaman sa pagtuturo. Kabilang dito ang mga gawaing may kinalaman sa student guidance, pagkwenta ng budget, pag-responde sa mga sakuna, at pagsali sa iba pang mga aktibidad at programa tulad ng pagbabakuna, feeding, deworming, at eleksyon.

Isinusulong din ng Magna Carta na siguruhing tumataas ang sahod ng mga guro. Sa kabila nito, pinuna ni Gatchalian na napag-iwanan na ang mga guro ng ibang mga propesyonal sa pamahalaan, kabilang ang mga sundalo at mga pulis.

"Napapanahong masuri natin kung paano ba pinapangalagaan ng ating gobyerno ang ating mga guro, lalo na't mahalaga ang papel nila sa pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon sa gitna ng pandemya. Sa gagawin nating pagsusuri, nais nating matukoy kung paano pa natin mapapaigting ang pagpapatupad sa Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, upang masiguro nating lubos nating napapangalagaan at naitataguyod ang kapakanan ng ating mga guro," pahayag ni Gatchalian na Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.