Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No,_4608

Introduced by Representative Eduardo Roa Rama Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

Itis State policy to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and
to take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. Public school teachers are at the
forefront of achieving this end, ‘They continue to offer their best even in unsatisfactory conditions.
‘They often provide their students with leaming supplies out of pocket and even devote their time to
travel to far-flung areas to teach the youth, Our teachers carry both the financial and physical burden
of offering quality education.

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 11466, otherwise known as the Salary Standardization Law of 2019, the
salary of an entry-level public school teacher on a Salary Grade 11 (SG 11) is at Php 25,439.00. A
teacher's salary must, at the very least, keep pace with the rise in the cost of living. It is then imperative
to provide public school teachers with an adequate increase in salary and allowances that meet the
rising commodity prices.

‘This House Bill secks to increase the salaries of public school teachers to Salary Grade 17 (SG 17), or
a salary of Php 41,508.00. Further, a teaching supplies allowance of Php 8,000.00 per school year, or
Php 38.46 per school day, shall also be granted in order to ensure that the salary increase is exclusively
utilized for the public school teacher's standard of living.

Moreover, Republic Act No. 4670, or otherwise known as The Magna Carta for Public School
Teachers, mandates that compulsory medical examination shall be provided free of charge for all
teachers before they take up teaching, and shall be repeated not less than once a year during the
teacher’s professional life. Public school teachers likewise experience occupational hazards in the
course of their employment. Thus, a medical examination and treatment allowance of Php 10,000.00
per teacher per year shall be granted recognizing the strenuous pressures of the profession.

No less than the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that education shall receive the highest
budgetary priority and that teaching shall attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents


through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment. Public school
teachers’ passion in their vocation motivates them to bear the demands of their workload. It is our
duty to afford these dedicated men and women a remuneration that is commensurate to their passion
and vigor as they continue to strive to shape the young minds of the nation.

Ce

EDUARDO ROA RAMA JR.

Support for the enactment of this measure is earnestly requested.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bi No. 4608

Introduced by Representative Eduardo Roa Rama Jr.

AN ACT INCREASING THE SALARIES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS TO
SALARY GRADE 17, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCES, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Public School Teachers Salary
Increase Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the state to
promote and enhance the social and economic status of public school teachers, it being recognized
that this can primarily be achieved through the improvement of their living and working conditions.
This is consistent with state policy, enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which ensures that
education receives the highest budgetary priority and 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.

SECTION 3. Coverage. — This Act shall cover teaching personnel in all public schools in
the clementary and secondary levels, as defined by Republic Act No. 4670, otherwise known as The
‘Magna Carta for Public School Teachers Act.

SECTION 4. Increasing the Minimum Salaries of Public School Teachers. — The
minimum salary grade level of public school teachers shall be Salary Grade 17. Salary grade levels of
those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.

SECTION 5. Teaching Supplies Allowance. — Teaching personnel in public schools shall
be entitled to a seaching supplies allowance. The teaching supplies allowance shall cover the purchase of chalks,
erasers, pens, papers, class records, and other teaching implements essential for learning in the


classroom. The aforementioned allowance shall be provided in cash, and is fixed at Php 8,000.00 per
teacher per school year, subject to periodic increases as may be necessary.

SECTION 6. Medical Examination and Treatment Allowance. — A medical
‘examination and treatment allowance for the annual physical and mental health treatments is hereby
fixed at Php 10,000.00 per teacher, per school year, subject to periodic increases as may be necessary.

SECTION 7. Entitlement of Medical Examination and Treatment Allowance. — The
Secretary of Education shall set the guidelines in the implementation and entitlement of the medical
examination and treatment allowance of public school teachers.

SECTION 8. Adjustment of Salaries. — To preserve the objectives of this Act, the amount
of public school teachers salaries shall be reviewed every two years by the Secretary of Education or
his or her representatives. The Secretary of Education shall submit his or her recommendations to
both houses of Congress, provided that his or her recommendation must state whether or not the
aforementioned salaries shall be increased.

SECTION 9. Periodic Review of Allowances. — The Secretary of Education is hereby
mandated to conduct a periodic review of the allowances, taking into account the current prices of
classroom supplies and medical treatments, and recommend the necessary increase in the amount of
the salaries and allowances.

SECTION 10. Priority in Budget Allocation. - The Government shall appropriate such
amount as may be necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act. Provided, that the salary increase
of teaching personnel in public schools shall take priority over non-educational and non-agricultural
budgetary allocations.

SECTION 11. Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Education and the
Department of Budget and Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 12. Appropriations. - The initial funding required for the implementation of this
‘Act 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 implementation of this Act.

SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.


SECTION 14. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section of this Act shall be
deemed unconstitutional of invalid, the other sections or provisions shall not be affected and shall

remain in force and in effect.

SECTION 15. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation,

whichever comes earlier.

Approved.