The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) welcomes the enactment of the Republic Act (RA) 11997, also known as the ‘Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo’ Act, which seeks to provide additional teaching allowance from P5,000 to P10,000 to almost 800,000 public school teachers.
This initiative signifies the State’s commitment to upholding the rights of our educators, ensuring that they are provided with the necessary resources and support to perform their duties effectively.
CHR Chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc also expressed his unwavering support for the said measure. “This effort will undoubtedly ease some of the financial burdens that our public school teachers face. More than the financial incentives, it sends a powerful message that we, as a nation, value and respect the dedication of our educators in honing the intellectual and moral development of our youth,” Chairperson Palpal-latoc said.
Article XIV, Section 1 of the Philippine 1987 Constitution affirms that “[t]he State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.”
Moreover, Section 18 of RA 4670, also known as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers states that “teacher’s salaries shall, at the very least, keep pace with the rise in the cost of living by the payment of a cost-of-living allowance which shall automatically follow changes in a cost-of-living index.”
In line with this, we take note of the efforts made by our esteemed legislators, both in the higher and lower chambers, particularly those who filed the bill earliest including Senators Bong Revilla, Joel Villanueva, Robin Padilla, Sonny Angara, and Bong Go in the Senate; and Representatives France Castro, Arlene Brosas, Raoul Manuel, and Emigdio Tanjuatco in the House of Representatives, among others.
We also acknowledge the prompt action made by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to sign and enact this proposed measure into law. It is a step in the right direction toward an education system that creates a dynamic, engaging, and effective learning environment for our educators and learners.
The Commission remains steadfast in its Constitutional mandate to protect, promote, and uphold the rights of all. We believe that by empowering our educators, we are also striving to create a more balanced and fair educational system for all.
Mabuhay ang mga guro ng bayan! ###