SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
'(13 
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
Explanatory Note 
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'13 
JUL 1 0 /1 9 :54 
For the fiscal year 2013, the Department of Education (DepEd) got the biggest share in the 
. national budget pie with P232.59 billion out of the P2.006 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. Amidst 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,OOO annual teaching supplies allowance they receive 
from the FY 2013 DepEd budget. In spite of the increasing budget allocation that the Department 
enjoys, the cash allowance they provide to teachers just translates to a 5-peso subsidy per day, which is 
relatively insufficient in assisting classroom teachers to deliver informative lectures and stimulating 
class discussions to the country's 20.7 million! 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 govermnent. 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 Teaching Supplies Allowance for the 528,9542 
public school teachers and at the same time' increases the cash allowance currently appropriated in the 
DepEd budget by 200% from PI,OOO 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 Govermnent and thereafter, from the government's share in the Philippine Amusement anq 
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 willbe alleviated and their working conditions will certainly improve. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is ea 
ught. 
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I Number of students enrolled from Kindergarten to High School as ofSY 2012-2013. Source: Department of Education 
2 As ofSY 2012-2013. Source: Department of Education 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
. 
S.No. 713 
SCllar" 
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'13 
JUL 10 A9 :54 
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------------------------------------______ ~U_ 
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE GRANT OF 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: 
1 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Teaching Supplies Allowance Act of 2013 ". 
2 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to promote and 
3 
improve the economic status of teachers and assist them in providing quality education to their students. 
4 
SEC. 3. Teaching Supplies Allowance. - A Teaching Supplies Allowance for the purchase of 
5 
chalks, erasers, fonus, and other classroom supplies and materials in the amount ofP3,000 per teacher 
6 
per school year is hereby authorized. 
7 
SEC. 4. Coverage. - The grant of the cash allowance authorized in this Act shall be limited to 
8 
teachers who are engaged in actual classroom teaching in public basic education. 
9 
SEC. 5. Funding. - An amount of Three thousand pesos (P3,000) shall be annually appropriated in 
10 
the General Appropriations Act for the grant of the Teaching Supplies Allowance: Provided, That in 
11 
the first year of effectivity of this Act, the amount of One thousand pesos (Pl,OOO) shall be charged 
12 
against the current appropriations of the DepEd for the purpose, while, the amount of Two thousand 
13 
pesos (P2,000) shall be charged against any available funds and/or savings of the National Government. 
14 
Thereafter, the amount of One thousand pesos (P 1 ,000) shall be appropriated from the DepEd budget 
15 
and the amount of Two thousand pesos (P2,000) shall be sourced from the fifty (50%) percent share of 
16 
the Government in the aggregate gross earnings of the Philippine Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) after 
17 
deducting the five (5%) percent Franchise Tax. 
18 
SEC. 6. Periodic Review for Increases. - The Secretary of Education is hereby mandated to 
19 
conduct a periodic review of the Teaching Supplies Allowance, taking into account the current prices of 
20 
classroom supplies, and, if warranted, recommend the necessary increase in the amount of the 
21 
allowance. 
22 
SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, resolutions, orders or ordinances or parts thereof 
23 
inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
24 
SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
25 
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,