Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

No. _64

HOUSE BI

Introduced by Representative Jaime R. Fresnedi

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide additional compensation for educators in the basic education
sector, the amount of which is a gesture of our government in recognizing the role that they do
in educating the next generation of future leaders.

The chronically overworked state of public school teachers in the Philippines is well-
known!, However, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit us, their workload is not only limited
to teaching but also other non-teaching tasks. As such, it is clear that actual teaching is
increasingly being sidelined by teachers’ many other responsibilities and roles.

Under the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers. every public school teacher has a
regular full-time teaching load. Likewise, they must devote six (6) hours of daily classroom
instruction. But in reality, several additional administrative or student support roles are
assigned to each teacher. These include paperwork on seminars and training they are tasked to
attend and other designations in line with student guidance, budget, disaster response, and
health.

In the middle of a health crisis, teachers have shown their firm resolve that it is their
sworn duty to ensure that our children will still get the highest possible quality of education,
notwithstanding the limitations and challenges that come with it. No less than the 1987
Constitution? has recognized the importance of the teaching profession. As we continue moving
towards our New Normal, | encourage my colleagues to put into flesh this constitutional
mandate of the State for our modem-day heroes.

For these reasons, the urgent passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Lone District, Muntinlupa City

+ Esguerra, DJ. 2018, DepED urged to lighten teacher workloads following suicide reports, Philippine Daily
Inquirer. August 27.

[accessed on une 20, 2022]
2 Article XIV, Section 5(S) that “the State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure
that teaching will retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remunerations and
other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

INETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 64

Introduced by Representative Jaime R. Fresnedi

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR EDUCATORS IN THE
BASIC EDUCATION SECTOR AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the "Handog sa Guro Act."
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote
the welfare and economic well-being of public school teachers and personnel in basic
education. Towards this end, the government shall pursue mechanisms that shall ensure the
financial capacity of public school teachers to provide for the basic necessities of their families.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:

a. Basic Education ~ refers to carly childhood, elementary, secondary, alternative
learning system (ALS), and education for those with special needs;

b. Locally-Funded Teacher — refers to a public school teacher who is hired and paid
for, fully or partially, by a local government unit or any other local entity in accordance with
the rules and regulations issued by the Department of Education (DepEd);

c. Non-Teaching Personnel ~ refers to officials and employees of the DepEd who are
not defined herein as public school teachers;

d. Public School Teacher ~ refer to a person engaged in:

(1) actual classroom teaching in public basic education;
(2) teaching in an alternative learning system (ALS);
(3) teaching and non-teaching employment with the Philippine Science High

School System (PSHSS); and,


(4) school-based supervisory, managerial, administrative, and/or technical
functions in public basic education.

SEC. 4. Beneficiaries. ~ The additional support and compensation provided in this Act
shall cover public school teachers, locally-funded teachers, PSHSS teaching and non-teaching
personnel, and all those non-teaching personnel of the DepEd. Provided, that those occupying
positions from salary grade level 30, under the DepEd schedule of salaries, and/or Assistant
Secretary upwards shall be excluded therefrom.

SEC. 5. Additional Compensation. ~ An amount of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00)
per month shall be granted to those mentioned in Sec. 4 of this Act as additional compensation
for their current salary and benefits:

The additional compensation shall be paid in three (3) tranches, as follows:

First Year ~ Php 2,000.00 per month;
Second Year - an additional Php 1,500.00 per month;

Third Year - another additional Php 1,500.00 per month.

Provided, That in succeeding years, said support compensation shall be continuously
paid in full to the beneficiaries: Provided further, That said additional compensation shall be
considered as part of the basic salary for the purpose of computing retirement pays and bonuses
that the beneficiaries under this Act are entitled to: Provided finally, That the support granted
under this Act shall be without prejudice to future increases in the basic pay of the herein
beneficiaries.

SEC. 6. Additional Support for Teaching Personnel with a Masteral Degree or Higher.
— Teaching personnel with a Masteral Degree or higher shall receive an additional amount of
‘Two Thousand Pesos (Php2.000.00) during the third year and onwards

SEC. 7. Authority to Grant Magna Carta Bonus, ~ Taking into consideration the many

unimplemented provisions of Republic Act 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School
Teachers of 1966, the DepEd is hereby authorized to grant an annual Magna Carta bonus to
public school teachers and non-teaching personnel of the DepEd.
Provided, That the maximum amount of the Magna Carta bonus shall be equivalent to the
entitlement of teacher or non-teaching personnel should have received under RA 4670 but
which has not been realized in a given budget year. The funding for this bonus shall be sourced
from savings or other sources as may be determined by the DepEd.

SEC. 8. Appropriations. — To immediately implement the provisions of this Act, the
initial funding shall be sourced from the savings of the Executive branch of the government
and other possible sources that the Office of the President may determine, and subsequent funds

2


needed shall be inchided in the General Appropriations Act for the year following the approval
of this Act.

SEC. 9. Transitory Provision. ~ Notwithstanding Section 3 (b) of this Act, all locally-
funded teachers shall enjoy the benefits herein granted: Provided. That within three (3) years
from the approval of this Act, locally-funded teachers who fail to comply with said Section 3
(b) shall cease to be covered by this Act.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or other
issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effect

Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

ty. ~ This Act shail take effect immediately after its publication in the

Approved,