MANILA, Philippines – Some groups criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for not presenting key measures to address certain issues in the education sector during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), particularly leaving out plans for a salary increase for teachers.
Marcos delivered his longest SONA yet on Monday, July 27, but his remarks on teachers’ welfare and the education sector were not enough, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC).
The two teachers’ groups have different salary demands. The ACT is seeking P50,000 for entry-level teachers, while the TDC is pushing for a P15,000 increase across the board.
They can only ask what would be Marcos’ moves regarding the issue with only two years left in power.
“May pagkilala lang ng karangalan at kadakilaan ng guro, pero more than that, ang kailangan ng guro ngayon ay dagdag sahod pati ‘yung panawagan namin ng pagtataas ng aming personnel economic relief allowance (PERA),” ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo told Rappler.
