SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
'14 
JUL \5 P3 :03 
SENATE 
S.B. 2310 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
Explanatory Note 
AN ACT 
TO ASSIST THE LIVING CONDITION OF FILIPINO TEACHERS AND NON-
TEACHING PERSONNEL IN THE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
SCHOOLS BY INCREASING THEIR MINIMUM MONTHLY SALARIES, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE 
Social justice is the very fiber of Filipino fairness. 
. ld 
In the most beautifully written decision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, social 
justice is defined as "neither communism, nor despotism, nor atomism, nor anarchy, but the 
humanization of laws and the equalization of social and economic forces by the State so that justice in 
its rational and objectively secular conception may at least be approximated. Social justice means the 
promotion of tlte welfare of all tlte people, tlte adoption by tlte Government of measures calculated to 
insure economic stability of all the competent elements of society, through the maintenance of a proper 
economic and social equilibrium in the interrelations of the members of the community, constitutionally, 
through the adoption of measures legally justifiable, or extra-constitutionally, throngh the exercise of 
powers underlying the existence of all governments on the time-honored principles of salus populi est 
suprema lex. ,,] 
This legislation is a tool of social justice. And this bill is aimed at assisting the Filipino' 
public school teachers and the non-teaching personnel in public elementary and secondary 
schools. 
As stated in Article XIV, Section S(S) of the Philippine Constitution, 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 adequate remuneration and other means of 
job satisfaction and fulfillment." 
In additlOn, Republic Act 4670, otherwise known as the 
Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, mandates the following criteria for salaries of public 
school teachers: 
1) "They shall compare favorably with those paid in other occupations requiring equivalent 
or similar qualifications, training and abilities" (Section IS raJ); 
2) "They shall be such as to insure teachers a reasonable standard oflife for themselves and 
their families" (Section IS[bJ). 
1 The case of Williams v. Calalang, GR 47800,.December 2, 1940 


Salaries of public sehool teachers do not compare favorably with other occupations in 
government as a 
duly licensed professional teacher occupying the entry-level position of 
Teacher I earns P18,549 a month (Salary Grade 11, Step 1). 
. 
The salaries of public school teachers are currently unable to "insure a reasonable 
standard of life for themselves and their families." According to the Alliance of Concerned 
Teachers, the family living wage in the National Capital Region, estimated at P957 per day or 
more than P21,054 per month, which means that many teachers resort to borrowing from 
government financial institutions such as the Government Service Insurance System, private 
lending institutions, or loan sharks in order to cope with this "living salary gap." 
This situation has obviously pushed some of our best teachers out of the country to seek 
better pay and working conditions overseas. There is a huge gap in salary levels of teachers in 
the country compared with those abroad. For example, Filipino teachers who choose to practice 
their profession in the United States receive annual salaries ranging from P1.5 to P2.l million. 
Meanwhile, an entry-level Teacher I receives P241, 137 annually. Sadly, due to the low pay, 
many of our teachers migrate to work not as teachers but as domestic helpers, nannies or 
caregIVers. 
Appalling economic conditions also overwhelm non-teaching personnel, who perform 
functions complementary to that of teachers' duties inside the classroom. As with other low- and 
middle-level government employees, they are also battered with indecently low pay, receiving a 
salary of P9,000 per month at the least (Salary Grade I, Step I), which is lower than the 
minimum wage in the National Capital Region. This is regardless of protections accorded to 
them by law and international instruments, chief of which are the rights to just and favorable 
conditions of work and to living and decent wage (Article 23(1) and (3) of the Universal 
Declaration of Human Rights and Article 7(a) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social 
and Cultural Rights). 
Efforts of the government to upgrade the educational system cannot succeed as long as 
teachers and education workers are not accorded decent salaries. 
For the above cited reasons and for social justice, the immediate approval of this bill is 
earnestly urged. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. 2310 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
AN ACT 
'14 
JUL 15 P 3 :03 
TO ASSIST THE LIVING CONDITION OF FILIPINO TEACHERS AND NON-
TEACHING PERSONNEL IN THE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
SCHOOLS BY INCREASING THEIR MINIMUM MONTHLY SALARIES, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Reiteration of Policy, The State policies of ensuring that education 
2 
receives the highest budgetary priority and that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share 
3 
of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction 
4 
and fulfillment are hereby reiterated. In the formulation of decisions with regard to education 
5 
reforms, the State shall likewise hold paramount the protection and promotion of the right of 
6 
citizens to quality education at all levels and the rights of education workers to humane 
7 
conditions of work and a living wage. 
8 
9 
SECTION 2, Coverage, This Act shall cover all teaching and non-teaching personnel in 
10 
all public schools in the elementary and secondary levels, whether nationally or locally funded, 
11 
including those in technical and vocational schools and state universities and colleges. 
12 
13 
SECTION 3. Raising the Minimum Salaries of Public School Teachers. The present 
14 
minimum salaries of public school teachers in the elementary and secondary schools shall be 
15 
raised from P18,549 to P25,OOO a month. The salaries of those occupying higher position shall be 
16 
adjusted accordingly. 
17 
18 
SECTION 4. Raising of the Minimum Salaries of Non-Teaching Personnel. The 
19 
present minimum salaries of non-teaching personnel in elementary and secondary schools shall 
20 
be raised from P9,OOO to P15,OOO a month. The salaries of those occupying higher positions shall 
21 
be adjusted accordingly. 
22 
23 
SECTION 5. Priority in Budget Allocation. The Government shall· appropriate such 
24 
amount as may be necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act, Provided, that the salary 
25 
increase of teaching and non-teaching personnel in public school shall take priority over non-
26 
educational and non-agricultural budgetary allocations. 
27 


1 
SECTION 6. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Education and the Department 
2 
of Budget and Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations of the 
3 
provisions of this Act. 
4 
5 
SECTION 7. Appropriations. The initial funding required for the implementation of this 
6 
Act shall be sourced from the savings of the Executive Branch of the government and other 
7 
possible sources that may be determined by the oftlce of the President, and subsequent funds 
8 
needed shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for the year following the 
9 
implementation of this Act. 
10 
11 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. Should any proVISIOn herein be declared 
12 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act. 
13 
14 
. SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or other 
15 
issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed. 
16 
17 
SECTION 10. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
18 
in the Oftlcial Gazette or one (I) newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved.