CAMARINES Sur Rep. Luis Raymond Villafuerte yesterday said a higher annual allowance of P10,000 next school year is expected not only for public school teachers with teaching loads in basic education but even vocational instructors, librarians, guidance counselors, and teachers in the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and community learning centers.
This became possible after the Department of Education, led by newly-appointed Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara, approved the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 11997, or the “Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act.” Angara signed the IRR earlier this month, two months after President Marcos signed RA 11997 last May 31.
Villafuerte, an author of the law, said the teaching allowance is tax-free and is considered an outright expense, so the beneficiaries no longer have to submit or present official receipts (ORs) as proof of their purchases.
The law increases the annual allowance of public schoolteachers for their purchases of teaching supplies and materials, payment of incidental expenses, and the implementation of various learning delivery modes in their respective schools.
“The 100 percent increase in the current teaching allowance of P5,000 yearly per teacher in recognition of the invaluable contribution of our educators to nation-building is certainly timely in the face of sticky inflation,” said Villafuerte.
Villafuerte noted that under the IRR approved by Angara, RA 11997’s beneficiaries are “public school teachers engaged in classroom teaching, whether permanent or provisional, including guidance counselors, school librarians, industrial arts or vocational instructors, and all other persons performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all public schools.”
Additionally, the IRR states that “ALS and mobile teachers, and district ALS coordinators, in all public elementary, junior, and senior high schools, and community learning centers are included.”
Villafuerte said the IRR excludes from the grant of teaching allowance public school teachers with no teaching loads and performing non-teaching functions, duties, and responsibilities within the current SY; those who are on absence without leave (AWOL), indefinite sick leave, study leave or scholarship within the current SY; and those who are no longer in service as of the official start of the current SY.
However, he said that teachers without teaching loads at the start of the SY but who are eventually assigned teaching loads as well as teachers set to retire in the current SY are entitled to a pro-rated teaching allowance, based on how long they are engaged in classroom teaching.
School heads or head teachers without teaching loads but who end up rendering actual teaching hours because of the absence or unavailability of teachers are also entitled to a pro-rated teaching allowance, the lawmaker said.
Villafuerte pointed out that as underscored by Speaker Martin Romualdez following the enactment of RA 11997, the higher allowance was in recognition of the “selfless service of our educators” and to “advance the welfare of public school teachers.”
However, despite their heavy workload and essential role as agents of constructive intellectual, social, cultural, political and moral change in our society, he said public school teachers are among the most underpaid workers in the country.
“Providing them with a permanent teaching supplies allowance, and with a provision for a steady bump per SY (schoolyear) will hopefully incentivize them to strive for excellence in their field and make teaching a more attractive profession for young Filipinos,” he said.
