STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON THE REPORTS OF UNPAID SALARIES OF SOME DEPED TV PERSONNEL

First, our health workers, then, our teachers. Hindi dapat natin pinapayagang maging new normal ang delayed na pasahod o benepisyo.

This is a blatant case of exploitation and violation of our labor laws. Hindi kailanman magiging tama ang kumontrata ng mga empleyado at hindi sila bayaran sa serbisyong kanilang ipinuhunan. Pinagtrabahuhan nila ang perang iyon, gamit ang kanilang talento at sariling resources, with outputs delivered on time, kaya walang makataong rason para madelay ang kanilang sweldo.

When the Department of Education assured the public that the quality of education is not compromised amid shift to non-traditional modes of learning, perhaps, it should also look after the welfare of its teachers and other teaching professionals and ensure that they do not end up to be the collateral damage.

I urge DepEd to settle this immediately and give the unpaid teaching professionals what is due. Ang bagong sistema ng edukasyon ay pahirap na para sa mga guro, huwag na nating dagdagan pa ang bigat na kanilang dinadala.