Teachers fully support Rep. Carlos Padilla’s call for teachers and nurses to get P25,000 monthly salary (SG15)

May 18, 2009

NEWS RELEASE

Reference:

Bejamin Valbuena

ACT Nat'l Vice-Chairperson

0918-2399222

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) fully supports the call of Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla and other solons, for teachers and nurses to receive P25,000 monthly salary. Rep. Padilla and other lawmakers is showing high regard for teaching as a noble profession, for their moves to increase compensation for public school teachers.

National vice-chairperson Benjamin Valbuena said that Rep. Padilla's and the other solons' call for P25,000 monthly salary for teachers and nurses, is congruent to ACT's demand for P9,000 salary increase, which is equivalent to P3,000 added yearly for three years. With Padilla's proposed Salary Grade 15 (SG15) for public school teachers, the educators will receive P3,200 annual increase for four years.

"Rep. Padilla's proposed salary increase for the teachers shall put the teachers in the same level as nurses," Valbuena explained. "With the task of molding future leaders of the nation, the compensation of teaching profession should also compare favorably with that of other occupations requiring equivalent or similar qualifications, training and abilities, such as the compensation for the AFP's 2nd Lieutenants."

ACT lauded the lawmakers' call, which is consistent to the principle that compensation should at least agree with the standard cost of living, and should conform to the qualification of the profession. "The teacher's salary should ensure teachers a reasonable standard of life for themselves and their families, as it is stated in the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (RA No. 4670)," Valbuena added.

Furthermore, ACT supports the demands of all government employees for substantial increase in the compensation of professionals and sub-professionals in government service. The rank and file government employees, including 500,000 public school teachers, are the ones in the frontline of day-to-day public service, and not the executives and Malacañang officials. "Any increase in compensation, as well as promotions, should be based on actual and concrete merit in providing genuine service to the public," concluded Valbuena.