Teachers push ₱15,000 salary hike, urge gov't to realign budget

The Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) renewed its appeal for a substantial salary increase for public school teachers on Thursday, Sept. 11, insisting that government funds are sufficient to support the proposal if priorities are properly aligned.

- BY MERLINA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas, in a statement, said even a P15,000 salary adjustment for the country's one million Department of Education (DepEd) teachers and employees is achievable, amounting to only P210 billion, lower than the P346 billion allocation for flood control projects in 2025, which he noted has been prone to anomalies.

"Ang hinihingi nating dagdag na sahod para sa mga guro ay kayang-kaya kung gugustuhin lang ng gobyerno (The salary increase we're demanding for teachers is entirely feasible if the government truly wills it)," Basas said.

"Ang P15,000 increase ay katumbas lamang ng P210 billion, mas mababa pa kaysa P346 billion na inilaan para sa flood control projects ngayong 2025 na karamihan ay maanomalya (The P15,000 raise amounts to just P210 billion, far less than the P346 billion allocated for flood control projects in 2025, many of which are riddled with anomalies)," he added.