Palace optimistic about teacher salary increase – Philippine Canadian Inquirer

In March 2021, Duterte said the Covid-19 pandemic had foiled his plan to raise teachers’ salaries. (photo from Pexels)

MANILA – An increase in teacher salaries could soon be achieved despite the Covid-19 pandemic, according to acting presidential spokesman and communications secretary Martin Andanar.

“I am on mayroon ding pagtaas ng suweldo in the guro natin. Mahal ni Tatay Digong ang eat mga guro (I’m sure there will be an increase in salaries for our teachers. Tatay Digong loves our teachers),” he said during the “Ask Me Anything, Anywhere” segment aired on his Facebook page on Saturday.

Duterte, in several speeches, said that teachers were very important to him because his late mother Soledad was also a teacher.

Andanar said he would ask Education Secretary Leonor Briones for updates on plans to raise teachers’ salaries.

In March 2021, Duterte said the Covid-19 pandemic had foiled his plan to raise teachers’ salaries.

He said, however, that he was “saving” funds so he could finally give the pay rise teachers deserve.

Earlier, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers renewed its call for pay rises, saying their families are suffering from rising fuel costs which are also driving up the cost of goods and other services.

The education sector got the largest increase in the approved national budget for 2022 with PHP 788.5 billion.

The 2022 budget is expected to aid various reforms and initiatives for the country’s education sector amid the current Covid-19 pandemic.