MANILA — A group of teachers on Sunday urged the government to fund the provisions of Republic Act 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers as soon as possible.
This, after the Department of Education (DepEd) assured in a press release on Saturday that teaching and non-teaching personnel will receive PHP3,000 bonus as part of its anniversary celebration in December.
“Ang mga nakasaad sa Magna Carta hinggil sa overtime pay, free medical check-up at treatment ay mahalaga sa aming mga guro lalo na walang substantial na pagtaas ng sahod sa kabila ng mataas na presyo ng mga bilihin (Those stated in the magna carta about overtime pay, free medical check-up and treatment are important to us teachers, especially that we don’t have substantial wage increase despite the price increase in commodities),” Quezon City Public School Teachers Association (QCPSTA) Board Director Kristhean Navales told Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones first made a pronouncement about the bonus during the World Teachers’ Day celebration in Ormoc City on October 5.
It was reaffirmed in a meeting between members of DepEd’s Executive Committee and Alliance of Concerned Teachers at SEAMEO INNOTECH in Quezon City on October 26.
“We’re already working on it and preparing for it. Before December, we’ll make sure that it is already downloaded and available on or before DepEd’s anniversary,” DepEd Undersecretary for Finance Budget and Performance Monitoring Annalyn Sevilla said.
Upon the recommendation of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, DepEd adopted December 20, 1863 as its foundation date considering its predecessors, the oldest of which being the Comision Superior de Instruccion Primaria.
Further clarification of other teachers’ concerns and issues were discussed during the meeting.
These include the provision of Special Hardship Allowance, teaching overload honoraria, increase the teachers’ chalk allowance and reconsideration of the set deadline for member-borrowers with past due loans to update their accounts. (Ma. Teresa Montemayor/PNA)
