"A P5,000 monthly across-the-board increase will mean an additional annual budget requirement of P75 billion; P10,000 will require P150 billion. Such huge fiscal impact will have to consider the appropriate policy mix for taxes, borrowing and budget reallocation. Furthermore, we cannot think of the teachers alone. A salary increase for teachers will raise equity issues with respect to other government personnel, which also need to be addressed." - Deped Sec. Briones.
In a letter from DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones addressing the Inquirer for some clarification regarding its published information about the salary increase for public school teachers, she emphasized that the Department is doing its part to provide better social and economic status for the public school teachers.
"I reiterate my position (originally issued on June 6) on the proposed salary increase for teachers:
1. As Education Secretary and advocate, I constantly seek ways to uplift the social and economic status of public school teachers, and improve their living and working conditions and terms of employment. I fully support the President’s pronouncement to raise the salaries of teachers.
2. In 2018, the Cabinet decided to complete the fourth and last tranche of the salary standardization law (which includes increases in teacher’s pay) this year, and directed the Department of Budget and Management to study how to effect the next salary increase. Together with the Cabinet economic team, we have been working to find ways and means to realize a salary increase for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) 830,000 teachers.
I have discussed in public the different considerations that need to be taken into account, something which, unfortunately, were misunderstood, if not misrepresented, by certain quarters to be a position against a salary increase.
A P5,000 monthly across-the-board increase will mean an additional annual budget requirement of P75 billion; P10,000 will require P150 billion. Such huge fiscal impact will have to consider the appropriate policy mix for taxes, borrowing and budget reallocation. Furthermore, we cannot think of the teachers alone. A salary increase for teachers will raise equity issues with respect to other government personnel, which also need to be addressed."
LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES Secretary, Department of Education
Source: DepedClick.com