Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 4434

introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Art. XIV of the 1987 Constitution provides that “the State shall assign the
highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain
its rightful share of the best available talents through the adequate remuneration and
other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.” This policy sought to ensure adequate
compensation for the vaiuable service rendered by our educators. However, our public
school teachers are currently among the most underpaid government employees.

According to Louie Zabala, President of Manila Public School Teachers
Association, for decades, public school teachers are overworked and underpaid.’ A
Teacher | earns a Salary Grade of 11 which amounts to Twenty Thousand One
Hundred Seventy-Nine Pesos (PhP/20,179.00).? This figure is clearly insufficient to
meet the impact of inflation and rising oil prices.

Given that our educators hold a very important function in our society, shielding
them from economic hardship by increasing their minimum salaries is critical

For this reason, immediate approval of this bill is necessary.

x “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR.

Assistant Majority Floor Leader
Congressman
First Congressional District of Manila

* https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1497601/since-the-80s-teachers-still-overworked-underpaid
? https://www.cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2018/3/9/teachers-salary-philippines.html?fbclid=IwAR2


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

“4434

HOUSE BILL No.

AN ACT
INCREASING THE MINIMUM SALARY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS AND
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to
assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract
and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate
remuneration, and uphold the rights of education workers to humane conditions of
work and a living wage.

SECTION 2. Increasing the Minimum Salaries of Public School Teachers.
— The entry-level salary for public school teachers shall not be less than Thirty
Thousand Pesos (PhP/30,000.00) a month. The salaries of those occupying higher
positions shall be adjusted accordingly.

SECTION 3. Priority in Budget Allocation. - The government shaii
appropriate such amount as may be necessary to carry out the objections of this Act:
Provided, That the salary increase of public-school teachers shall take priority over
non-educational budgetary allocations.

SECTION 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of
Education and the Department of Budget and Management shall promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 5. Appropriations - The amount necessary to implement the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for the year
following the approval of this Act.

SECTION 6. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this
Act.


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

ILL No, 2434

HOUSE BILL No.

introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR.

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations, or other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provision of this

Act are hereby repealed.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.