Under the tandem of Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Alan Cayetano, the two politikos vowed that public school teachers will be granted an additional P 10,000 compensation over and above the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).
“Tatapusin natin ang malulungkot na pasko ng ating mga guro. Hindi dapat sila tinitipid at kinakaligtaan. Makakaasa ang ating mga guro ng matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon para itaas ang kanilang mga sahod at iba pang benepisyo,” Cayetano said.
The senator lambasted the government’s proposed salary increase for public school teachers calling it “inconsiderate” and “negligible.” Click this link to see the 14 Senators who voted YES for SSL Cayetano said the government’s proposed entry-level position of teachers is to grant an additional amount of P2, 205.00 from the present P18, 549.00 or a meager increase of less than 12%, spread over a period of four years, making the annual increase of a little more than P500.00, the lowest in recent history.
“Instead of repairing the government’s erroneous compensation scheme for teachers, which past and present salary laws classified teachers as among the lowest paid government professionals, its proposed salary increase only reinforced this flawed system,” Cayetano said.
“This what Mayor Duterte and I want to end. We will restore the dignity of the teaching profession. No more cheapskate wage increases which do not address burdensome taxes, cost of living and living conditions in general,” Cayetano added.
Cayetano said their proposal is part of his Senate Bill 94, that grants public school teachers, locally-funded teachers, non-teaching personnel, and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) additional compensation
The Davao City Government will release the Christmas bonus for its employees before the last working day before Christmas. In yesterday’s flag raising ceremony at the City Hall, city administrator J. Meclchor V. Quitain announced that the city has already found the source of funds for the employes’ Productivity Incentive Allowance. But Quitain said City Hall will formulate a mechanism on how to release the bonus because he is worried about employees who have debts from loan sharks. “Give us time to think it over because I am concerned with people still have unpaid loans. That money, if I understand that if it will be placed in the ATM, there is somebody who will get it ahead of you,” Quitain told the employees. “That money is reserved for the family. Sana yung mga nagpapautang, ay may paki-usap din ako sainyo, huwag niyo naman galawin yung bonus ng mga empleyado at least for this Christmas. Hindi naman yan kasama sa usapan. Ibigay niyo na yan sa kanila (To the money lenders, I am asking that you don’t take the bonus of the employees at least for this Christmas. That is not included in your agreement. Just give to them),” he added. Quitain also told the employees not to borrow money from lenders in anticipation of their bonus. “Kayo naman, huwag na kayong umutang. Hindi pa nga narelease, inutang na niyo,” Quitain said. In an interview with Edge Davao, City Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) head Erwin Alaparaque said the local finance committee (LFC) of the executive department will hasten the proceedings so that it will be endorsed to the City Council. Alparaque said the LFC already endorsed its resolution to Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and it is now waiting for his signature. “Then the request from the city mayor to appropriate funds for the grant and payment of Productivity Incentive Allowancewould be endorsed to the City Council,” he said.
Alparaque said the bonus for employees will be included for the Supplemental Budget No. 2 this year. He said as soon as the City Council approves within next week, the bonus will immediately be released to the employees.
Alparaque said the LFC recommended to draw the fund from the savings on Personal Services (PS) and Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).
He said all regular, contract of service, and job order government workers will get their bonus as soon as the City Council approves it.
He said he did not know if there would be an increase from last year’s P72 million allocation for the bonus, but regular employees will get P10,000 bonus each while the job order and contract of service will get P5,000 each. Alparaque said the city government has a total 12, 827 employees: 2,827 are plantilla or regular employees, 4,242 are job order employees, and 5,365 contract of service employees.
CHEERFUL. Just in time for the Christmas holidays, around 5,500 public
school teachers in Cebu City receive a cash assistance of P10,000 from
City Hall. (Sun.Star Foto/Amper CampaƱa)
AROUND 5,500 public elementary and secondary school teachers received their P10,000 assistance from the Cebu City Government yesterday.
But unlike most of the teachers, 21-year-old Asmah Agorig will not be spending her cash aid for the Christmas. Because she is a Muslim, Agorig will be using her cash gift to pay for her tuition after she enrolled as an education major student. Agorig teaches Arabic language at the Zapatera Elementary School. Although she has been teaching for three years by virtue of her skill in the foreign language, Agorig said she has yet to complete her bachelor’s degree. She just needs to pass the qualifying exam to be able to teach. Agorig is now in her second year in her college education.
“I am thankful that the City gave us the financial assistance because it will really help in our expenses,” Agorig told Sun.Star Cebu. Yesterday was the first time for her to get her P10,000 financial assistance.
For Alma Karen Oporto, a portion of the cash assistance will be shared with her students during their Christmas party on Friday. Oporto is a grade 5 teacher in Banilad Elementary School. “Mohatag sad ko ug share sa akong mga pupils, mopuno ko gamay para sa among Christmas party aron malipay sad ang mga bata(I will share this with my pupils, I will contribute to their Christmas party so the kids will be happy),” she said.
Aside from it, most of her cash aid will be spent for her child’s tuition.
Budget
In an interview yesterday, Local School Board Chief Raddy Diola said the City set aside P55 million under this year’s annual budget for the teachers’ cash aid.
Even if it was given in December, Diola clarified that the P10,000 given to the teachers is not a bonus, but an assistance the City has been giving under suspended Mayor Michael Rama’s administration.
There are at least 140 public elementary and high schools in the city. City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said teachers who failed to claim their financial assistance during the scheduled distribution yesterday can still claim it until December 23 at the City Treasurer’s Office
I outcry for all the teachers and the below the salary grade 12... My appeal is, DO NOT VOTE on their candidacy this coming election. Yan lang ang maigaganti natin sa kanila... The SSL 2015 relied on the grant of bonuses instead of increasing the salaries wherein form the name of the bill itself states that it is SALARY STANDARDIZATION. Why will you rely on those bonuses? PS. President PNOY, First time in history din na WALA kaming na-receive na YEAR-END BONUS. Only on your term. Mahusay ka! Dahil dyan,
The Senate unanimously passed on the third and final reading on Monday the proposed Salary Standardization Law (SSL) that seeks to introduce a higher compensation system for all government employees, including nurses, teachers and soldiers starting next year.
Fourteen senators voted to approve Senate Bill No. 2671 with no negative vote or abstention.
Those who voted were Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senators Sonny Angara, Bam Aquino, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, JV Ejercito and Francis Escudero. Senators Teofisto Guingona, Loren Legarda, Sergio Osmena, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Ralph Recto, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, and Cynthia Villaralso approved of the bill.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who sponsored the bill, said the SSL IV would be implemented in four tranches, starting from January1, 2016 to January 1, 2019.
He said the bill will introduce a new compensation and position classification system (CPCS) which would bring the pay of government personnel closer to prevailing rates in the private sector, or to at least 70 percent of the market rate for all salary grades.
“This means government personnel like nurses who are currently receiving P24,887 per month (under Salary Grade 15) will have their salaries raised to P26,192 next year. In the final year of the SSL, their monthly salaries will have been raised to P30,531,” Trillanes said in a statement.
The minimum basic salary which could be received by civilian government personnel (Salary Grade 1 or “Administrative Aide”) would be raised from the current rate of P9,000 to P11, 068.
Trillanes said a similar hike would be applied to the pay of military and uniformed personnel, as army privates, apprentice seamen and police officers of the lowest rank would have their monthly salaries raised from P14,834 to P16, 597.
Aside from the increases in the monthly salary of government personnel, the proposed measure also introduces an improved set of allowances and benefits, such as 14th month pay, a mid-year bonus, and an enhanced performance-based bonus which can be equal or double the monthly salary.
“The bill will maximize the employees’ net take-home pay and recognize the government personnel who play a greater role and carry a heavier responsibility in improving government performance,” Trillanes said.
Trillanes also said the higher wages to be introduced under the bill would serve as an “anti-corruption measure.”
“Due to the competitive compensation package, our public servants can be effectively discouraged from resorting to scrupulous activities in order to augment their meager income and instead, focus their efforts and energy on serving the public, curbing corruption, and cutting red tape,” he said.
Drilon said the SSL IV was also intended to attract more professionals into the public workforce by making compensation for all civilian government personnel “competitive with those doing comparable work in the private sector,” noting that a study commissioned by the Department of Budget and Management pegged the government’s pay scheme at 45 percent below market.
He said reforming the low pay rates in the public sector “would help address the 191, 988 still unfilled positions in government, which inadvertently affects the smooth delivery of services to the people.”
Trillanes said the pay increase for military and uniformed personnel also sought to promote “pay equity for an effective, efficient, committed, competent and motivated corps of officers and enlisted personnel.”
Drilon earlier said Congress would try to submit the bill to Malacanang for President Benigno Aquino III’s signature before the year ends so that employees, except for incumbent elected national officials, would be able to enjoy the new salary package starting January 1, 2016.
The Senate had earlier approved the 2016 General Appropriations Act, which already included a P50.7 billion allocation for the implementation of the first tranche of wage hikes planned under the SSL IV next year
(UPDATE) The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third
and final reading the proposed Salary Standardization Law (SSL) 2015. With a vote of 170-5 and one abstention, the lower chamber finally
approved the House Bill 6268 just a month after it was approved on
second reading on Nov. 11. The SSL 2015 standardizes the salary increases of government workers in four tranches from 2016 to 2019. Among those who voted against the bill are Act Teachers Rep. Antonio
Tinio, Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap, Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan and
Abakada Rep. Jonathan Dela Cruz.
Meanwhile, Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon abstained from voting. He
cited a conflict of interest because the SSL 2015 suspends the
indexation of the pension benefits of retired military personnel like
him. Biazon is a former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief. Tinio said he voted against the bill because it only implemented paltry sums to ordinary workers.
He said the SSL 2015 relied on the grant of bonuses instead of increasing the salaries.“Hindi sasapat ang dagdag na ibibigay ng SSL 2016 para sa malaking
mayorya ng gobyerno… Ang kahalagahan at kaibahan ng sweldo ay bukod sa
makakatugon sa pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan, investment din ang
sweldo sa kanilang future, lalo na sa kanilang retirement pension, na
nakabatay sa kanilang sweldo, hindi bonus,” Tinio said.
The chamber fielded the bill on third reading approval after a quorum
was declared with 176 solons responding to the call Wednesday night.
Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza questioned the quorum, saying he only counted
140 warm bodies on the floor. The chamber needed at least 145 of the
187-strong chamber to reach a quorum.
Majority leader Neptali Gonzales II said the chair has always ruled
that the solons who are present within the vicinity or even on official
business may be counted in the roll call. The authors of the SSL 2015 are Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.,
Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, Minority leader Ronaldo Zamora,
appropriations committee chair Davao City Rep Isidro Ungab, and accounts
chair Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona. The bill was earlier passed on second reading without being certified
by President Aquino as urgent. A certification would have fast tracked
the passage of the bill from second to third reading on the same day. The SSL 2015 is pending in the committee level at the Senate. Militant solons criticized the SSL 2015 for giving paltry sums to
ordinary workers while granting hefty increases to higher-ranking
officials like the President.
Tinio had lamented the small P2,205 increase for the country’s
600,000 public-school teachers in the four tranches of SSL 2015
implementation. He said the current salary of an entry-level teacher is at P18,549.
Under the SSL, the pay for Teacher 1 would increase to P19,077 in the
first year of implementation in 2016, P19,620 in 2017, P20,179 in 2018,
and P20,754 in 2019.
The most basic Salary Grade 1 would also be increased from P9,000 to P11,068 a month.
Meanwhile, the President’s salary is increased from the current
P120,000 to as much as P388,096. The Vice President, Speaker of the
House, Senate President, and Chief Justice’s salary would be increased
to as much as P353,470 after four years.
The bill would only increase the salaries of the President and Vice
President upon the expiration of their terms. This means President
Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay would not benefit
from the salary hike. Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad had said the current Cabinet secretaries were not included in the hike as delicadeza.
He said the salary hike for members of the House of Representatives
and Senate and of the Cabinet would only take place on July 1, 2016 or
after the expiration of the incumbents’ terms.
The House approved the bill on second reading just days after President Aquino endorsed the SSL 2015 to Congress. The president backed the bill after the budget department conducted a
thorough study on the merits of adjusting the salary grades of public
sector employees closer to the pay of their private sector counterparts.
In a statement, Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said the
proposed bill seeks a four-year P226-billion compensation hike for the
government’s 1.53 million civilian and military and uniformed personnel. The compensation package is composed of a salary increase, a mid-year
14th month pay, and an enhanced performance-based bonus (PBB) system,
Abad said. He added that the salary hike would increase the basic Salary Grade 1 from P9,000 to P11,068 a month. The bill seeks to increase the basic salary of covered employees by
an average of 27 percent. The 14th month pay will increase compensation
by eight percent. Meanwhile, the enhanced PBB is equivalent to one to two months’ salary or an average of 10 percent increase in salary.
The bill also seeks to bridge the gap between the pay of employees in
the public sector with their counterparts in the private sector.
Abad said under the bill, the lowest salary grade, Salary Grade 1,
will be raised to about 154 percent of the market, while the highest
salary grade belonging to the President will be about 70 percent of the
market.
Government compensation in the average is estimated to increase by 45
percent and should be around 84 percent of private sector pay at the
end of the four tranches, Abad said. The average government pay now is
55 percent of the market rate.
Abad said under the bill, the new compensation level for all salary
grades will be at least 70 percent of the market; there will be no
salary overlaps; and the link between pay and performance will be
strengthened.
Due to the enactment of Republic Act 10653, which raised the tax
exemption cap to P82,000, the 14th month pay and PBB will be tax-exempt
for employees belonging to Salary Grades 1 to 11 who only receive the
tax-exempt 13th month pay, the cash gift and the productivity
enhancement incentive (PEI).
Meanwhile, only the 14th month pay will be tax-exempt for employees
under Salary Grade 12 to 16 who receive the existing tax-exempt 13th
month pay, cash gift and PEI. The first tranche of the pay hike will take effect on Jan. 1, 2016 and thereafter until the final tranche in 2019. TVJ
5.) List of requirements for Teacher Applicants 6.) Sample Letter of Intent for Applicants Following are the positions and their salary grades under the listed tracks below: Teacher II - Salary Grade 12 Teacher III - Salary Grade 13 Master Teacher I - Salary Grade 18 Master Teacher II - Salary Grade 19 Master Teacher III - Salary Grade 20 Master Teacher IV - Salary Grade 21 For your guidance.