According to a 1991 recommendation by the Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom), a Filipino public school teacher’s salary should be at Salary Grade 16 or around Php28,000. But more than 20 years after the recommendation was made, teachers are still demanding a raise.

The Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) said they will stage a number of protests starting this month until the start of classes in June to call for a wage hike of Php10,000. At present, the minimum monthly wage of public school teachers is at Php18,000.

Granting the demand of public school teachers is timely, especially since Senator Trillanes proposed a bill that aims to boost the salary of public officials as a way to decrease corruption and motivate government employees to work harder. However, if the raise were to be granted, then the competencies of public school teachers should also be raised a notch.

Both a boost in salary and teacher quality will lead to more effective improvements in the education system.

The last time public school teachers’ salaries were adjusted was in 2009 when the government increased it by Php6,523 to reach Salary Grade 11.  However, this was given in four sets from 2009 to 2012.

TDC chair Benjo Basas commented that since the last set was given in 2012, the Aquino government was ‘seemingly reluctant to tackle the salary increase proposals for public school teachers and government employees.’

Basas said that the protests will push through after this month’s Santacruzan religious rights have been celebrated. The first protest will take place at the Department of Budget and Management offices in Malacañang on Thursday, 8 May.