Deputy House Speaker and South Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez. (Photo from the website of the provincial government of South Cotabato)
KORONADAL CITY -- Deputy House Speaker and South Cotabato second district Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez is hopeful of getting enough support for the passage of his proposed measure that seeks to increase the salaries of public school teachers by at least PHP10,000.
Hernandez said he filed on Sept. 9 House Bill 4451 or “An Act Providing for Additional Support and Compensation for Educators in Basic Education.”
The bill seeks to raise the basic salary of entry-level teachers to around PHP30,000 a month.
“This will benefit the pillars of education, our teachers, including our non-teaching personnel,” Hernandez said during World Teachers Day celebration here on Thursday.
The event was joined by around 6,000 teachers and stakeholders from the province’s 10 towns and lone city.
Aside from the salary hike, he said the bill provides for a medical allowance of PHP5,000 for all employees of the Department of Education.
The lawmaker said his bill echoes President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise to increase the salaries of the around 800,000 public school teachers in the country.
“After raising the salaries of our law enforcers, he (Duterte) said that he will focus next on the salaries of our teachers. So I hope he will be true to his commitment and as a congressman, I will be there to support him,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez said he expects several other members of the House of Representatives to file separate versions of his bill, which would be consolidated later on after referral to the appropriate committees.
“When that happens, we will surely come up with a better version,” he said.
Hernandez said his office will continue to provide the necessary support to public schools in the province, especially in terms of infrastructure and equipment.
Among the ongoing projects in the area are school buildings, gymnasiums, and other school-based facilities. (PNA)
