EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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•19 
AUG 27 
P 3 -OO
S E N A T E
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 their daily expenses, public school 
teachers are often forced to shoulder the cost of many classroom supplies.
Traditionally, the government provides teachers with an annual allowance for 
classroom supplies, popularly known as the "chalk allowance", for the purpose of 
purchasing items such as chalks, erasers, forms and other supplies and materials. In 
the Department of Education budget, this cash allowance amounted to P700 per 
teacher per school year in 2011, which was increased to P1,000 in 2012. This was 
increased further to P I,500 per teacher per school year in 2016; and then to P2,500 
in 2017. For 2018 and 2019, the General Appropriations Act provided for P3,500 per 
teacher per school year, or P16.82 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.
Hence, the bill proposes to increase the annual "chalk allowance" from P3,500 
to P5,000 per teacher per school year, or P24.04 per school day, thereby relieving 
teachers of this arduous financial burden.


Immediate approval of this bill is therefore sought.
SONNY ANGARA


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
O
.  
Ir^ciiaic
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'19 
AUG 27 
P 3 ;00
S E N A T E
B. No. 957
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 o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Title. -  This Act shall be known and cited as the '‘^Teaching Supplies
2 
Allowance Act o f 2019."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is hereby declared to be the policy of the
4 
State to promote and improve the economic status of teachers and assist them in
5 
providing quality education to their students.
6 
Sec. 3. Teaching Supplies Allowance. -  The cash allowance to teachers for the
7 
purchase of chalks, erasers, forms, and other classroom supplies and materials as
8 
provided in the annual appropriations for the Department of Education shall be
9 
known as the Teaching Supplies Allowance. The amount provided shall be increased
10 
from Three Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P3,500.00) to Five Thousand Pesos
11 
(P5,000.00) per teacher per school year. Said allowance shall be paid only to
12 
classroom teachers.
13 
Sec. 4. Periodic Review for Increases. -  The Secretary of Education is hereby
14 
mandated to conduct a periodic review of the Teaching Supplies Allowance, taking
15 
into account the current prices of classroom supplies, and, if warranted, recommend
16 
the necessary increase in the amount of the allowance. The amount required to


1 
cover the increase shall be included in the Department's budget proposal for the
2 
next fiscal year.
3 
Sec. 5. Appropriations. -  Such sums as may be necessary for the
4 
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
5 
Act.
6 
Sec. 6. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
7 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,