SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S. No.
SENATE
812
o t t l i f  > > -r: t'T r |^
’16 
JUL21 
P 2 : 2 5
i n  . ■
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE GRANT OF A TEACHING SUPPLIES ALLOWANCE FOR 
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Explanatory Note
For the fiscal year 2016, the Department of Education (DepEd) got the biggest share in the 
national budget pie with P411 billion out of the P3.002 trillion appropriation. This amount is intended to 
fully address the shortage in classrooms, teachers and textbooks to enhance the implementation of the K 
to 12 program and other reforms in our educational system. Amid these envisioned funding support, little 
is yet provided for the benefits received by teachers.
The salaries of our public school teachers are unquestionably not commensurate with the volume 
of work and responsibility entrusted to them. Aside from spending for their personal and family needs, 
teachers also have to shell out some more money from their own pockets for the materials they use in 
teaching. This is on top of the current PI,500 annual teaching supplies allowance they receive from the 
FY 2016 DepEd budget. In spite of the increasing budget allocation that the Department enjoys, the cash 
allowance they provide to teachers just translates to a 7-peso subsidy per day, which is relatively 
insufficient in assisting classroom teachers to deliver informative lectures and stimulating class 
discussions to the country’s 20.9 million1 public school students.
Republic Act No. 4670 otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers mandates 
that the salaries of public school teachers “shall be such as to insure teachers a reasonable standard of 
life for themselves and their families. ” Unfortunately, the salaries of public school teachers are currently 
bound by the Salary Standardization Law (SSL), hence, compensation increases would first need 
Congressional approval and be subject to comparisons with the qualifications, skills and difficulties of 
other positions in the government. Thus, one of the urgent ways to respond to the clamor of our public 
school teachers for much needed support is to grant them with additional benefits in the form of cash 
allowances which would not be subject to the SSL.
This bill, therefore, institutionalizes the grant of a Teaching Supplies Allowance for the 743,2882 
public school teachers and at the same time increases the cash allowance currently appropriated in the 
DepEd budget by 100% from PI,500 to P3,000 per teacher per school year. In order to come up with a 
deficit neutral measure, this bill proposes to initially source the additional funds from the savings of the 
National Government and thereafter, from the government’s share in the Philippine Amusement and 
Gaming Corporation income.
Teachers should be given priority attention, they being contributors to the mental development 
and the formation of moral and ethical values of our students. With this additional allowance, the burden 
on public school teachers will be alleviated and their working conditions will certainly improve.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
/ e j c v
Number of students enrolled from Kindergarten to High School as of SY 2015-2016. Source: Department 
3 FY 2016 data. Source: LBRMO. 2016 GAA
Education