Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 27) — A solon on Thursday expressed disappointment after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. failed to bare concrete plans on the plea to raise teachers’ pay during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA).
\”Sa nakaraang SONA, hindi niya gaano natumbok yung pangangailangan ng ating edukasyon, lalong lao na yung panawagan ng ating personnel, particularly ang ating mga teachers, ang mga government employees, non-teaching personnel, tungkol dun sa kanilang kahilingan na substansya na pagtaas ng sahod,\” ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro said in a media briefing.
[Translation: In the recent SONA, he was not able to make a point on the needs of our education system, especially the call, particularly of our teachers, government employees, non-teaching personnel, for substantial increase in their wages.]
Marcos vowed to increase the salaries of teachers during his presidential campaign in 2022. However, this marks the second time that he did not mention such a plan in his SONA.
For the education sector, Marcos highlighted learning recovery and recalibrating the K to 10 curriculum during his second SONA last Monday.
According to Castro, entry-level public school teachers only earn P13,000 monthly under the fourth and last tranche of the Salary Standardization Law of 2019 or \”SSL V.\”
\”Tingin natin, dito sa 2024 ay wala talagang aasahan, dahil matatapos na ngayong taon ang SSL V. At kung wala talagang ipapasa at hindi sinabi itong priyoridad among the legislative measures, ay wala talagang aasahan,\” she said.
