FIFTY percent of Filipinos are convinced that public school teachers are underpaid, a Pulse Asia survey held from June 24 to 27 said.

The survey, which had 1,200 respondents, also showed that 37 percent of the respondents think that public school teachers “have enough salary, three percent said the teachers are “overpaid,” while 10 percent said they “can’t say” if public school teachers are either underpaid, have enough salary, or overpaid.

Sixty-six percent of those who think that public school teachers are unpaid come from the National Capital Region, 51 percent from Luzon, 44 percent from the Visayas, and 43 percent from Mindanao.

Fifty-seven percent of those who think that the teachers are underpaid come from social classes A,B, and C; 48 percent from social class D, and 53 percent from social class E.

Gatchalian said Filipino public school teachers have been left behind by their counterparts in Indonesia when it comes to their monthly salaries, adding public school teachers’ entry level salary in Indonesia is equivalent to P66,099 as compared to the country’s P25,439.

He said this is the reason why he filed Senate Bill No. 149 or the proposed Teacher Salary Increase Act, which will raise the salary of public school teachers.

Under the bill, a “Teacher 1” who is under Salary Grade 11 (P25,439) will fall under Salary Grade 13 (P29,798), “Teacher 2” from Salary Grade 12 (P27,608) to Salary Grade 14 (P32,321), and “Teacher 3” from Salary Grade 13 (P29,798) to Salary Grade 15 (P35,097).

Raising the salaries of public school teachers is one of Gatchalian’s campaign promises.

He said increasing the teachers’ salaries is consistent with RA 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers which provides that teachers’ salaries shall favorably compare with the pay in other occupations and should ensure a reasonable standard of life for teachers and their families.