MANILA – The Senate has introduced a new bill aimed at promoting and improving the economic status of public school teachers throughout the country. The Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, also known as Senate Bill (SB) 1964, seeks to institutionalize the provision of teaching supply allowances for public school teachers. The measure, which is pending for second reading, was jointly submitted by several Senate committees and authored by Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Robinhood Padilla, Sonny Angara, Christopher Lawrence Go, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Mark Villar, Ronald dela Rosa, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva.
The proposed legislation is intended to provide teachers with financial assistance to purchase tangible and intangible supplies and materials necessary for quality instruction. Specifically, the bill would grant a Teaching Supplies Allowance of PHP7,500 per teacher for School Year 2023-2024 and PHP10,000 per teacher for School Year 2024-2025. This represents a significant increase from the current PHP5,000 supply allowance per year. The Teaching Supplies Allowance would be adjusted every three years to account for changes in the prices of teaching supplies and materials, and it would not be subject to income tax.
The measure is set to be charged from the appropriations of the Department of Education (DepEd) under the General Appropriations Act. The bill recognizes the importance of providing a sufficient and competitive compensation package to attract and retain the best talent in the teaching profession, while also ensuring that all public school teachers engaged in teaching basic education curriculum, consistent with the learning modalities recognized by the DepEd, receive adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.
If passed, the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act would be a significant step forward in supporting and empowering public school teachers throughout the country, helping them provide the highest quality education to their students. The bill demonstrates the Senate’s commitment to investing in the future of the Philippines and recognizing the critical role that teachers play in building a strong and prosperous society.
