SSL V far from public school teachers' demands. Assistant Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Representative France Castro slammed the approval of the Salary Standardization Law V which only provided rank and file employees scanty increases in their salaries divided in four tranches which will eventually be eaten up by the rising prices of basic goods.
"President Duterte can now add the salary increase for teachers and other government employees in his list of failed promises. He promised teachers and other government employees what they demanded for which is a substantial salary increase, yet this Salary Standardization Law V only provides a measly increase divided in four tranches," Castro said.
"The Salary Standardization Law V downgrades the condition of public school teachers. Their salaries had been overrun compared to the salaries of police and soldiers," Castro said. "It is still inequitable and distorted as those in the rank and file positions will still receive a small increase in their actual take-home pay compared to those under executive positions."
"The signed Salary Standardization Law of 2019 will only increase salaries of those under salary grade 1 by P483 in 2020, a P16 per day increase in the first tranche of implementation. Entry level teachers under salary grade 11 would only receive an increase of P1,562 in 2020, an additional of only P52 per day," Castro said. "This is far from what our teachers and other government employees have been demanding from the government. The Duterte administration cannot state that their wishes have been granted in this newly signed law. Public school teachers and other government employees do not deserve a measly increase in their salaries that will only be eaten up by the increasing prices in goods and income tax due to the TRAIN law."
"With the rising prices of basic goods due to the TRAIN law, the scanty increase in salaries provided by the proposed new standardization law will only be eaten up by the higher prices of basic goods, income taxes and impending increases in contributions in GSIS, PhilHealth premiums and PAG-IBIG," Castro added. "Most public school teachers will also now have to pay income taxes compared to being exempted last 2019 while others would have an increase in their income taxes."
"Public school teachers have nothing to be thankful for with the recently passed Salary Standardization Law of 2019 of the Duterte administration and teachers will continue to demand for the substantial salary increase they deserve," Castro ended.
Source: Act Teachers Party-List
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