Legarda Files Bill to Increase Wages of Public School Teachers and Education Personnel

The veteran lawmaker recently filed SBN 4, which seeks to increase the minimum wage of public school teachers and non-teaching personnel, highlighting the need to provide adequate support and compensation to address the increasing cost of living.

The proposed measure seeks to increase the salary grade level of public school teachers from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15. Teaching personnel or instructors in public universities and colleges will also be granted an increase from Salary Grade 12 to Salary Grade 16. The salary for a regular entry-level position in government service shall not be less than Sixteen Thousand Pesos (P16,000) a month.

"We must recognize the significant role of our teachers and personnel in nation-building. Our educational frontliners who have remained steadfast in our goal to provide the best for the Filipino children. With the increasing cost of living, it is high time we raise their salary," Legarda stated.

As former Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Legarda introduced and sponsored vital amendments for the education sector, such as funding for free tertiary education, free tuition for medical students in SUCs, and free WIFI in all SUCs, among others.

It was also through the Senator's intervention that the chalk allowance was increased from P1,000 to P1,500 per teacher in 2015. It was raised to P2,500 in 2017 and to P3,500 in 2018. In 2019, all public school teachers also received, for the first time, a P1,000 World Teachers' Day incentive after Legarda allocated 800 Million Pesos (P800M) in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

"Hindi natin maikakaila na ang daming dalang hamon ng COVID-19 pandemic lalo na sa sektor ng edukasyon, ngunit dahil sa dedikasyon ng ating mga guro patuloy nating naitataguyod ang hangaring mabigyan ng dekalidad na edukasyon ang bawat batang Pilipino. Saludo po ako sa inyong walang pagod ninyong paggabay sa ating mga kabataan." Legarda added.

Legarda has also filed the Magna Carta for Private School Teachers and the Magna Carta of Public School Teachers to institutionalize support for education personnel.