Alliance of Concerned Teachers
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-Teachers) is a progressive and militant national democratic mass organization of teachers, academics, and other education workers in the Philippines, established on June 26, 1982. It is the largest non-traditional teachers' organization in the country, and campaigns for the economic and political rights of teachers and other education workers as well as on wider social and political issues. History. In 1989, ACT succeeded in its campaign for higher wages of $32 a month as well as improved benefits for teachers. This was achieved after public school teachers went  on strike from July 24 to August 12. On 30 September 2005, national council member of the ACT Vitoria Samonte was murdered, an act which was called a human rights violation. Another national council member, Napoleon Pornasdoro, was murdered on 27 February 2006. They were also general secretary of the Southern Tagalog Teachers for Development. Objectives. ACT's stated objectives are: Membership requirements. Membership of ACT is open to national and regional organizations whose membership or composition include federations, unions, alliances, cooperatives, political, disciplinal or interest associations of teachers and education workers. Active and nationalist teaching and non-teaching personnel  working in the education sector at any level (pre-school, elementary, secondary or tertiary) in both public and private institutions who are members of an education-based organization are eligible. ACT is the umbrella group of two national organizations: the Congress of Teachers for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND), a militant and nationalist teachers' organization, and the National Federation of Teachers and Employees' Union (NAFTEU), the national organization of school-based labor unions. Membership in these organizations means automatic affiliation with ACT. Individual members who are eligible are also accepted. Organization. ACT's main organizing and consolidation activities are integration and  education. Representatives of the organization make regular visits to update members on the organization's activities and campaigns. Discussions, dialogues, fora, and symposia are held related to current issues that directly or indirectly affect the education sector. ACT also promotes the principles and objectives of the organization among the population and campaigns against foreign influence on the Philippine educational system and wider society. ACT also provides institutional services like free legal aid, media representation, training, and other forms of assistance. It publishes a quarterly publication, the ACT Forum, for its membership.