Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5
House Bill No. 520

INTRODUCED BY HON. MARCELINO “MARCY” R. TEODORO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Teachers are duly licensed professionals who possess dignity and reputation with high
moral values as well as technical and professional competence. In the practice of their noble
profession, they strictly adhere to, observe, and practice a set of ethical and moral principles,
standard, and values. (Preamble, CODE OF ETHICS - RESOLUTION NO. 435 S. 1997)

Each teacher is viewed as a trustee of the cultural and educational heritage of the nation
and is under obligation to transmit to learners such heritage as well as to elevate national
morality, promote national pride, cultivate love of country, instil allegiance to the Constitution
and respect for all duly constituted authorities, promote obedience to the laws of the state.
(Article Il Section 1 -Teacher and the State)

Further, teachers are considered facilitators of learning and of the development of the
youth; he shall therefore, render the best services by providing an environment conducive to
such learning and growth. (Article Ill Section 1. -The Teachers and the Community)

However, in order that our educators may be compelled to “render the best services’,
the Government must endeavor to promote the welfare and economic well-being of public
school teachers in basic education. We cannot expect to attract highly qualified personnel if
such position requiring high-level qualification cannot offer competitive rates.

The purpose of the bill is to grant our hard-working and dedicated teachers additional
support and compensation, i. e., support in the form of allowances and other remuneration from
local school board funds, medical allowance, and Magna Carta Bonus.

A study conducted by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) showed that as of
school year 2005-2006, there is a need to hire 49,699 new teachers. Unfortunately, said
shortage remains to be a problem up to this day, which is not surprising at all because public
school teachers’ salary cannot adequately provide for the needs of an average Filipino family.

The primordial consideration for the approval of the proposed measure is to have the
best human resources our country can get, and thus guarantee that teachers in all Philippine
schools are truly committed and accountable for providing classroom instruction with results that
are manifested in high performance levels in terms of student learning outcomes. (Statement of
Principle, Department of Education)

Given what this bill can ultimately do, its immediate enactment is earnestly sought.

MARCELINO “MARCY” R. TEODORO
Representative, 1* District
City of Marikina


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

520

House Bill No.

INTRODUCED BY ‘HON. MARCELINO “MARCY” R. TEODORO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND COMPENSATION FOR
EDUCATORS IN BASIC EDUCATION

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy.- \t 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.

SEC. 2. Definition of Terms

a. Basic Education- shall refer to early childhood, elementary, secondary,
alternative learning system (ALS), and education for those with special needs;

b. Locally-Funded Teacher - shall refer 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 - shall refer to officials and employees of the
Department of Education who are not defined herein as public school teachers;

d, Public School Teacher- shall refer to a person engaged in:

(1) actual classroom teaching in public basic education;

(2) teaching in alternative learning system (ALS);

(3) teaching and non-teaching employment with the Philippine Science
High School System; and

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

SEC. 3. Additional Compensation - An amount of Nine Thousand Pesos
(Php9,000.00) per month shall be granted to those mentioned in Sec. 2 of this Act as
additional compensation to their existing salary and benefits.

Provided, 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. 4, Additional Support. - The following additional support is hereby authorized:

a. Support in the form of allowances and other remuneration funded from
local school board funds.

Any law, executive issuance, department order, local ordinance, and the like, to
the contrary notwithstanding, the Local School Boards, as defined in the 1991
Local Government Code, are hereby authorized to augment the existing
allowances of herein beneficiaries to be sourced from the Special Education
Fund (SEF): Provided, That the implementation of this authority shall not in any
way prejudice the required budgetary allocation to address the school building
and classroom shortage in the area.

b. Medical Allowance

The herein beneficiaries shall receive an allowance for medical check-up in the
amount of One Thousand Pesos (PI ,000.00) per year.

c. Magna Carta Bonus

In consideration of the many unenjoyed and 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. The maximum
amount of the Magna Carta bonus shall be equivalent to the entitlement a
teacher or a 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. 5. Appropriation.- 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 may be determined by the Office of the President, and
subsequent funds needed shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for the
year following the approval of this Act.

SEC. 6. Transitory Provision. - Notwithstanding Section 2 (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 2 (b) shall cease to be covered by this Act.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SEC. 8. 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. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,