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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6

House Bill No.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALAN PETER “COMPANERO” S. CAYETANO.

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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

“Teaching is one of the noblest professions” once said by President Calvin Coolidge in 1924.
This was validated by a 1998 World Bank study, which pointed out that the role of teachers is
considered as the “single most influential factor” behind a student's performance. This recognition
is not new. More than four decades ago, our public school teachers rejoiced in the enactment of RA
4670, or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, which aimed to promote and improve the
social and economic status of public school teachers, their living and working conditions, their
terms of employment and career prospects in order that they may compare favorably with existing
opportunities in other walks of life, attract and retain in the teaching profession more people with
the proper qualifications, it being recognized that advancement in education depends on a large
part on the qualifications and ability of the teaching staff, And that education in turn, is an essential
factor in the economic growth of the nation.

No less than President Rodrigo Roa Duterte himself also espouses this view and included it
in his priority legislative measures in his recent State of the Nation Address, given that his mother
was also a teacher. On a personal note, our family also hails from the rich tradition of educators.
Lola Juliana, a public school teacher at the Pateros Elementary School; to Former Senator Rene
Compajiero, a professor of Law at the Lyceum of the Philippines; his wife Sandy, a pre-school
teacher and a school directress; and former Congressman now Mayor Lino, who taught at the
University of the Philippines. Teachers play the role of our second parents. We should honor them.
Each and every one of us owes a big part of who we are because of their sacrifices.

This bill is in response to the long-time clamor of our public school teachers for the urgently
needed support, considering that their present compensation package places them in a peculiar
situation of being just within the present poverty threshold. This also seeks to remedy the current
problems of teachers relative to the provisions of the Magna Carta, which since its enactment in
1966 continues to be unimplemented and to prevent the massive exodus of the members of the
teaching profession who are seeking jobs in other countries, the type of brain drain that this
country cannot afford.


In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is most urgently and earnestly recommended.

oe

ALAN PETER “COMPANERO” S. CAYETANO
Representative
1 District of Taguig-Pateros


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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6

House Bill No.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALAN PETER “COMPANERO” S. CAYETANO

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. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Teachers Salary Increase Act of 2019".

SECTION 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.

‘The State also recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation building and shall promote
and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in

the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.

SECTION 3. 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);

¢. 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.


SECTION 4. Beneficiaries. - The additional support and compensation provided for in this Act

shall cover the following:

1) Public school teachers,

2) Locally-funded teachers,

3) Philippine Science High School System teaching and non-teaching personnel, and

4) Non- teaching personnel of the DepEd, excluding those occupying positions from salary
grade level 30, under the DepEd schedule of salaries, and/or Assistant Secretary

upwards.

SECTION 5. Additional Benefits. - 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 prejudice the required budgetary allocation to address the school

building and classroom shortage in the area.

Inflationary Adjustment Assistance
‘The herein beneficiaries shall receive an additional benefit in the amount of Ten Thousand
Pesos (P 10,000.00) per month.

Medical Care and Well-being Allowance
The herein beneficiaries shall receive an allowance for medical care and well-being in the

amount of Five Thousand Pesos (P 5,000.00) per month.

Teaching Supplies Allowance
‘The herein beneficiaries shall receive an allowance for teaching supplies and aid in the

amount of Five Thousand Pesos (P 5,000.00) per month.

‘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. 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.


SECTION 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 Five
Thousand Pesos (Php 5,000.00) during the third year and onwards.

SECTION 7. 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.

SECTION 8, 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.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared unconstitutional, the
same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SECTION 10. 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.

SECTION 11. 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,