SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) SE OH oe
Third Regular Session )
18 WL 16 AlD 52
SENATE
$.B.No. 1871 REC. P _

Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA.

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A TEACHING SUPPLIES ALLOWANCE FOR PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Despite their immense importance to the nation’s development and well-
being, public school teachers are still among the country’s grossly
undercompensated professionals. On top of daily expenses for themselves and their
families, public school teachers are often forced to pay for everyday classroom
supplies out of their own pockets.

Traditionally, the government provides classroom teachers with an annual
allowance for classroom supplies, popularly known as a “chalk allowance” allotted to
purchase classroom essentials such as chalks, erasers, forms and other supplies and
materials. In the Department of Education budget for 2011, this cash allowance
amounted to #700 per teacher per school year, or ®3.50 per school day. Beginning
2012, this allowance was raised to P1,000 per teacher per school year, or 84.98 per
school day. For 2016, the government allotted ®1,500 per teacher per school year,
or 7.43 per school day, and further increased it to 2,500 per teacher per school
year, or P12.25 per school day for 2017. Currently, the 2018 GAA provides for
3,500 per teacher per school year, or R16.82 per school day.



Such meager amount is inadequate for teachers to cover the costs of
Classroom supplies including pens, pencils, notebooks, class records, manila Papers,
cartolina, bond paper, art paper, and other materials essential for learning in the
classroom. Teachers have no other recourse but to draw from their own finances to
pay for these materials.

Hence, the bill proposes to increase the annual “chalk allowance” for
Classroom supplies from 3,500 to P5,000 per teacher per school year (or P24.04

per school day), thereby relieving teachers of this onerous financial burden,

Immediate approval of this bill is therefore sought.

SONNY ANGARA



SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) aaa :
Third Regular Session )
18 WWL16 M052
SENATE
s.B.No. 1871 Rit P

Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A TEACHING SUPPLIES ALLOWANCE FOR PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the “Teaching Supplies
Allowance Act of 2018."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the Policy of the
State to promote and improve the economic status of teachers and assist them in
Providing quality education to their students.

Sec. 3. Teaching Supplies Allowance. - The cash allowance to teachers for the
purchase of chalks, erasers, forms, and other classroom supplies and materials as
provided in the annual appropriations for the Department of Education shall be
known as the Teaching Supplies Allowance. The amount provided shall be increased
from Three Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P3,500.00) to Five Thousand Pesos
(P5,000.00) per teacher per school year. Said allowance shall be paid only to
classroom teachers,

Sec. 4. Periodic Review for Increases. - The Secretary of Education is hereby
mandated to conduct a periodic review of the Teaching Supplies Allowance, taking
into account the current prices of classroom supplies, and, if warranted, recommend
the necessary increase in the amount of the allowance, The amount required to
cover the increase shall be included in the Department's budget proposal for the
next fiscal year.



Sec. 5. Appropriations. - Such sums as may be necessary for the
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
Act.

Sec. 6. Effectivity Clause. — This Act take effect fifteen (15) days after it
Publication in the Official Gazette or one (1) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,