EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara yesterday highlighted the efforts of the department, including hastening the release of claims of overtime pay, to uplift the welfare of teachers during the start of the 2025 National Teachers Month celebrations in Koronadal City.
“Alam niyo po, I’ve been in the Department for a little over one year, at ‘di ko nakakalimutan ang pangunahing mga instruction ng ating mahal na Pangulo na si President Bongbong Marcos, Jr. Sabi niya, ‘Sonny, you must take care of our teachers, they are the heart of our educational system’,” Angara told teachers and other DepEd employees and local officials during the event.
“At mula no’n, ‘yon ay top of the DepEd’s agenda. Kaya nakita niyo po, tuloy tuloy ang mga benepisyo, tuloy tuloy ang pag-alaga ng Department of Education sa ating guro (And since then, that has been at the top of the DepEd’s agenda. As you can see, the DepEd is taking care of our teachers by providing them additional benefits),” he added.
He said the DepEd has reduced the number of school forms required from teachers by 57 percent, emphasizing the importance of allowing teachers to spend more time in the classroom rather than on administrative tasks.
He said the guidelines he issued last Saturday on the Payment of Overtime Services of Teachers, which provides clear guidance for educators in claiming overtime pay, is part of DepEd and the President’s call for fair compensation for teachers rendering overtime services beyond school hours.
To further support teachers, Angara said the DepEd has allocated P114.39 billion for Personnel Services under the Fiscal Year 2026 National Expenditure Program.
“This ensures that salaries, benefits, and allowances are properly provided to teachers. It also supports the President’s goal of hiring additional teaching staff to achieve the ideal class size in schools,” he added.
In addition, Angara shared that DepEd has fast-tracked the processing of the P7,000 medical allowance starting last month.
Teachers may choose between an agency-issued HMO package or direct cash assistance for individual use.
The program, Angara said, also prioritizes teachers serving in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
