Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

‘THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HNo,_ 111

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” M. ANGARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 17, Article II of the 1987 Constitution declares that “The State shall give priority
to education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and
nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development”.

Teachers are the single most important factor in education. Their far-reaching influence
as agents of constructive change in society is beyond question. Although the salaries of teachers
have been standardized by the enactment of the Salary Standardization Law, which increased
teachers’ wages to the present level of P8,600.00 per month, teachers still apparently need
additional benefits to encourage them to improve on the quality of their job and profession. The
current financial remuneration given them, minus taxes and other obligatory deductions, usually
falls short to meet the monthly cost of living for a family of five (5) which is set by the National
Statistics Office (NSO) at P13,200.00 (per month). This not-so-attractive remuneration of
teachers has discouraged the best among high school graduates from pursuing a teaching
profession. Thus teaching has been perceived as a poorly esteemed profession that cannot attract,
or hold the best minds. This affects the quality of our educational system.

In this regard, this bill seeks to improve the plight of the teachers by improving the
benefits afforded to them to encourage the best minds to join the teaching profession.
Specifically, this provides additional insurance benefits to teachers, over and above the benefits
given by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) under Republic Act No. 8291, which
amended the 20-year old Presidential Decree No. 1146. The total annual premiums based on the
actuarial study of the GSIS shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

OCHA

JUAN EDGAI
Lone District, Province of Aurora



THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE }

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES}
First Regular Session }
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
HNo. i111

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” M. ANGARA

AN ACT
GRANTING ADDITIONAL INSURANCE BENEFITS TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL
TEACHERS, PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THE PAYMENT OF ITS PREMIUMS, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Public School Teachers’ Insurance
Act of 2004”.

SEC, 2. Additional Insurance. ~ \n addition to the existing insurance benefits given to
public school teachers by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) under Republic Act
No. 8291, a term insurance coverage to all public school teachers providing the following
benefits shall be granted:

(a) death benefits of Two hundred thousand (P200,000.00) to all teachers who are in
active service;

(b) burial expenses of Fifty thousand pesos (PS0,000.00) to all teachers who are in active
service; and

(©) reimbursement of actual medical expenses of all teachers, whether retired or in the
active service, but not to exceed One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00).

SEC. 3. Disqualification from benefits. — No benefits shall be given to any teacher or his
beneficiaries when the injury, sickness or death was occasioned or caused by any of the
following:

(a) habitual drunkenness or intoxication;

(b) willful intention to injure or kill oneself,

(©) notorious negligence;

(d) unauthorized absence or abandonment of office for at least one (1) month prior to
death or accident.

SEC. 4. Actuarial Study. —- The GSIS shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of
this Act, conduct an actuarial study to determine the premiums to be paid corresponding to the


benefits to be received by public school teachers in accordance with the schedule provided for in
Section 2.

SEC. 5. Appropriation. - The National Government shall appropriate annually and
include in the General Appropriations Act an amount corresponding to the total annual insurance
premiums of the public school teachers based on the actuarial study under Section 4 hereof.

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The GSIS, in coordination with the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) and the Commission on Higher Education

(CHED), shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this
Act.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. ~ If for any reason any provision or section of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, such portions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 9. Eiffectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its publication
in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,