Is the salary hike for teachers in the Philippines really possible or is this just an empty promise from the government? This is what Sen. Francis Escudero wants the government to answer.
It can be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte has already doubled the salaries of the country’s cops, soldiers, and other uniformed personnel. The president then promised that the teachers’ salaries will be the next one to be doubled; however, this has yet to happen.
Photo credit: IBON
Duterte has repeatedly promised to look into this matter, saying that he would not lie to the teachers because his mother had been one; but teachers still have not received the promised salary hike as of press time.
As head of the Senate committee on education, Escudero wants the government to prove that it actually has funds for the salary hike, instead of just making what he believes are false promises to the public school teachers.
“Ang huling dapat gawin ng pamahalaan, paasahin na naman iyong ating mga teacher na tinaasan pero wala naman pagkukunan kaya hindi mapapatupad. Baka ipangutang pa nila iyon, drawing pa lang. Mas maganda na kung may pagtataas na gagawin, tiyak, sigurado at may pondo para doon,” Escudero said.
Duterte had reportedly ordered his economic managers to find funding sources for the salary hike. Escudero believes there are four possible options for the government to meet this: savings, loans, realignment of funds, or a possible tax increase.
Photo credit: George Calvelo / ABS-CBN News
The senator also wants the government to be clear in its definition of the living wage, as opposed to the minimum wage, before pushing through with the salary hike.
“Ang isinaad sa Saligang Batas na living wage, hindi naman minimum wage. Ang living wage, ang ibig sabihin noon, sapat na suweldo o kita para matustusan ang pangunahing pangangailangan ng isang pamilya,” he explained.
“Pero para sa akin ang computation dapat ang living wage na katumbas na kinikita ng isang tao para tustusan iyong pangangailangan ng kaniyang buong pamilya.”
Many teachers are hoping that the salary hike would push through soon, and that it would be double their current salary just like what was given to the cops and soldiers…
