THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers National Capital Region Union called on the Department of Education to listen to the concerns of teachers instead of supporting the red-tagging activities of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

“Teachers have been clamoring for the grant and release of benefits and salary increases for months, but all we get is a slow and tight-lipped response in return. Bakit kapag usapin na ng red-tagging, aba’y napakabilis maglabas ng memo ng DepEd? We urge the agency to reconsider and get their priorities straight based on what our teachers need the most — their overdue benefits, salary upgrading, and the government’s action to ensure safe and quality blended learning,” Vlademic Quetua, ACT NCR Union president, said.

The group was red-tagged by NTF-ELCAC speakers during a webinar for Pasig City public school teachers recently.

Quetua condemned DepEd’s participation in the activity, claiming such an attack is a form of harassment.

He stressed that what teachers need is the grant of their performance bonus for 2019, their P10,000 Service Recognition Incentive, and a monthly internet allowance.

“What DepEd needs to do is to listen to our teachers’ woes, and not be an instrument of red-tagging and harassment. They are there to protect teachers’ welfare, not to threaten and harass our teachers,” Quetua said.