FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to upgrade the minimum salary grade level of public school 
teachers in the elementary and secondary :ihools from Salary Grade 10 to Giade 19 in 
order to help in motivating them to strive for excellence in their field and to help 
improve the quality of public education. 
Under Article XIV, Sec. 5 of the Constitution, it is provided that thle highest 
budgetary allocation shall be assigned to education and that the State shall barantee 
that the teaching profession will attract and retain its rightful share of the besi available 
talents, throurh adequate. remuneration .and other means of job satisfattion and 
fulfillment. Likewise, R.A.. 4670, also known as ”the Magna Carta for Public School 
Teachers” was enacted in June 18, 1966 to promote and improve the dpcial 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 ifavorably 
with existing opportunities in other walks of life and attract and retain moke people 
with proper qualifications in the teaching profession. 
Despite the Constitutional guarantee and the enactment of laws that recognize 
the valuable contributions ‘of our teachers and aim to provide better compeFtion to 
them, the teaching profession in the Philippines is losing the battle to problenis such as 
the low salary given to public school teachets and brain drain. 
Public school teachers are constantly burdened with the problem of having so 
little to stretch for the survival of their own families. The Alliance of Goncerned 
Teachers estimates that a teacher at entry level receives a gross monthly, salary of 
PY,Y39. In 2004, the Department of Labor and Employment has pegged the mopthly cost 
of living for a family of six in the National Capital Region at P17,820. 
As a consequence of this bu.rden on our teachers, many of them have migrated to 
developed countries, especially to the United States (US). An average of 22k Filipino 
teachers migrated every year to the US from 2002 to 2004, attracted by U S  foreign 
teachers’ salaries ranging from $34,000 to $47,000 (or roughly P1.5 to P2.1M), kccording 
to a report by Bulatlat.cop. These teachers are recruited primarily to teach Math, 
Science and English- the subjects where odr students are now showing signs of decline, 
as illustrated by the past nationwide examinations for elementary and high school 
students. 


Teachers are responsible for shaping the minds and character of the youth. They 
are in charge of the essential duty of developing young Filipinos for the benefit of our 
nation. If the Filipino teacher will continue to receive inadequate compensation, then 
we will be constantly depriving our youth of quality education, as the exodus of our 
teachers goes cn. 
To ensure funding for the salary increase, this proposed measure mandates the 
Department of Education to come up with a specific programmed budget for the 
upgrading in salary levels of corresponding teacher plantilla positions, for a period of at 
least five years, to allow the Department of Budget and Management to make the 
necessary budgetary adjustments. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE LEVEL OF 
TEACHERS FROM SALARY GRADE 10 TO 19 
Be if enacted by the Senafe qnd the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Increase in the Minimum Salary Grade Level. The present 
minimum salary grade level of public school teachers in the elementary and secondary 
schools shall be upgraded, from Grade 10 to Grade 19; provided however; that the 
salary upgrading shall be differentiated in accordance with the qualifications and length 
of service rendered by teadhers and shall not be prejudiced by across the bohd salary 
adjustments. 
SECTION 2. Priori,@ in Budget Allocation. The National Government shall 
appropriate such amount, as may be necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act. 
Provided, that the salary increase of public school teachers shall take priority over non- 
educational and non-agricu'ltural budgetary allocations. 
SECTION 3. Budgefi Required. The Department of Education shall come up with 
a specific programmed budget needed to cover the expenses for the upgrading in salary 
levels for all the corresponding teacher plaritilla positions for a period of at least five (5) 
years to allow the Department of Budget and Management to make the hecessary 
budgetary adjustments to facilitate the smooth implementation of this Act. 
SECTION 4. Inclusion in Appropriations Act. The amount necessary to 
implement the provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Apprppriations 
Act for the year following the approval of this Act. 


SECTION 5. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Education and the 
Department of Budget and Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. All provisions of laws, orders, decrees, including 
rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and modified 
accordingly. 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. If any part or provision of this Act shall be 
held unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not affected shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following publication in one (1) national newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,