Teachers push P50,000 entry-level salary to solve financial problems

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines renewed its call for a P50,000 entry-level salary for teachers, saying this is the most urgent and meaningful solution to the worsening financial woes faced by educators across the country.

The group said proposals such as loan restructuring and expanded borrowing options from the Department of Education (DepEd) do not address the real problem, which is the long-standing inadequacy of teachers’ salaries and benefits. According to ACT, many teachers are forced to take out loans not because of poor financial management, but because their income is too small to cover daily needs, emergencies, and family expenses.

“Utang na loob, hindi dagdag na utang at mas mababang interes ang kailangan naming mga guro, kundi makabuluhang dagdag-sweldo para mamuhay nang disente. Hanggang kailan itatanggi ng gobyerno na kapos ang sweldo ming mga kawani at manggagawa?” said ACT Chairperson Ruby Bernardo.

ACT said the continued promotion of credit access as a form of assistance only deepens teachers’ dependence on debt, instead of freeing them from it. The group stressed that a substantial salary increase would allow teachers to meet their needs without constantly turning to loans.

“Our take-home pay can no longer take us home. What DepEd offers are not real solutions but heavier burdens that push teachers further into a cycle of debt. More loans and restructuring schemes are not even a band-aid for a gaping wound but another cut that will bleed us dry,” Bernardo said.

She added that teachers’ financial distress is not limited to the days before payday, but is felt every single day because of low wages and rising living costs.

“Ang petsa de peligro ng mga guro ay hindi lang tuwing kinsenas-katapusan kundi araw-araw. Araw-araw din ang kalamidad at emergency ng mga guro dahil sa kapos na sweldo. Ang mungkahing mangutang pa dahil sa krisis, kalamidad, at emergency ay pagtalikod sa tunay na kalagayan at hinaing ng mga guro,” Bernardo said.

ACT also called on Education Secretary Sonny Angara to support the push for higher teacher pay. The group noted that as a former legislator, Angara had filed measures seeking to upgrade the entry-level position of public school teachers from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 19, which would now be equivalent to more than P50,000 under the current government salary structure.

For the group, that proposal should be pursued more aggressively now that Angara heads the education department.

“Teachers continue to be among the most underpaid workers in the country despite their expanding workload, mounting responsibilities, and central role in nation-building. Our compensation remains far from commensurate with our contribution, while salary distortion within the bureaucracy persists to our disadvantage,” Bernardo said, citing the explanatory note in Angara’s previous bill.

ACT said improving teachers’ salaries is not only a matter of economic justice, but also essential to protecting the quality of education. The group urged Angara to make the salary increase a priority within the administration.

“Bilang kalihim ng DepEd, ngayon ang mas mainam na panahon para hindi lamang ipahayag ni Sec. Angara ang suporta sa panawagang dagdag-sweldo ng mga guro, kundi itulak ang administrasyon na gawin itong prayoridad lalo't apektado ang kalidad ng edukasyon ng hikahos na kalagayan ng mga guro,” Bernardo said.

Aside from a P50,000 entry-level salary for teachers in both public and private schools, ACT is also pushing for an increase in the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) to at least P5,000 from the current P2,000, which has remained unchanged since 2009.

“The government must stop normalizing debt as a survival mechanism for teachers. What teachers need is not more loans and lower interest rates, but a decent entry-level pay and improved economic benefits,” Bernardo added.

For ACT, solving teachers’ financial woes begins with one thing: giving them salaries and benefits that match their work, dignity, and contribution to nation-building.