The Department of Education is considering the possibility of a salary hike for public school teachers to Php39, 000 a month. This move would need an additional P200 billion for the national budget.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones stated that the proposed increase is still being reviewed by financial managers due to the huge wage gap between other government workers may happen.

According to Briones, the President wants to keep his election promise, thus an additional P200 billion would be added to DepEd’s budget. However, it needs to be carefully planned as to not create a wider gap with policemen, nurses, clerks, janitors, drivers, and so on.

Presently, the starting salary of public school teachers is at P19, 000 per month, but may total P23, 000 after benefits and allowances are included. Briones compared it to the salary of policeman at P14, 000 and nurses at P19, 000.

Briones clarified that the possible increase may not be given in one swoop since the increase would also depend on the teaching field and teacher ranking.

UPDATE: DepEd Secretary Briones Stands Firm on SEF, Salary Hike for Teachers

One factor to be also considered is the situation of private school teachers. If such increase would happen, many private school teachers would opt to transfer to the public teaching sector which could lead to closure of some of the private schools.

The DepEd Secretary [philstar] did not disclose when the proposal would be approved, but she has high hopes that it would be before the end of President’s Duterte’s six-year term.