REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES .
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY

08 AUG 2013

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HB.NO23896

Introduced by HON. AL FRANCIS C. BICHARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide additional allowance and benefit to public elementary
and secondary school teachers to be known as “Anti-Poverty Allowance’. With the
skyrocketing costs of gasoline, electricity, and other basic commodities, there is an
imperative need to improve the economic plight of our public school teachers.

It is a constitutionally mandated principle 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 other means of
job satisfaction and fulfillment. Moreover, the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers
(R.A, 4670) provides that it is the duty of the State to promote and improve the social
and economic status of public school teachers,

It is unfortunate however that, under the present pay scale of civil servants,
Public school teachers only receive a minimum salary of P18,594. Undeniably, our
public school teachers can barely cope with the daily standard of living with such
meager sum. Reliable surveys reveal that the typical family of a public school teacher
lives below the Philippine poverty line. Ultimately, this bill aims to combat poverty
among our public school teachers in order to uplift their dignity and the importance of
public teaching profession.

It is high time to provide our public teacher's additional allowances considering
that low teacher salaries prevent talented and intelligent individuals from both entering
and staying in the profession. Some of our brightest and most talented teachers seek
employment abroad where they are promised greater pay and benefits. Needless to
state, increasing teacher's benefits is a key in attracting and retaining more high-quality
educators in our public schools.

In view of the foregoing considerations, approval of this bill is requested.

AL FRAT BICHARA
2" Distri¢t, Albay

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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES. )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HB. No.2356

Introduced by HON. AL FRANCIS C. BICHARA

AN ACT INCREASING THE SALARY AND COMPENSATION OF PUBLIC
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS BY PROVIDING AN
ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCE TO BE KNOWN AS “ANTI-POVERTY ALLOWANCE”,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR SUCH OTHER PURPOSES.

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

Section 1. All public elementary and secondary school teachers are hereby
granted Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00) additional allowance per month, to be
known as “Anti-Poverty Allowance”. Such allowance shall be considered an additional
compensation to their existing salary and benefits.

Section 2. For purposes of this Act, public elementary and secondary school
teachers shall be understood to include the following:

a) Nationally-Funded Public School Teachers which include persons engaged
in: (1) actual classroom teaching in public basic education; (2) teaching in
alternative learning system (ALS); and (3) actual classroom teaching in the
Philippine Science High School System.

b) Locally-Funded Teachers which include public school teachers who are 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.

Provided however, that, Locally-Funded Teachers shall be included in the
implementation of this Act only if the local government unit or local entity concerned has
available funds therefor. Provided further, that, for the year following the implementation
of this Act, the local government unit or local entity concerned shall provide funds
needed for its effective implementation.

Section 3, Appropriations.—To immediately implement the provisions of this Act,
the initial funding shall be sourced from the savings of the Executive Brach of the
government and other possible sources that may be determined by the Office of the
President, provided that, subsequent funds needed shall be included in the General
Appropriations Act (GAA) for the year following the approval of this Act.

Section 4. Rules and Regulations—The Secretary of Education shall
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this
Act.

Section 5. Separability Clause.—Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.


Section 6. Repealing Clause—All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations
or other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions with this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 7. Effectivity—This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved.