THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers called for decent pay, benefits and support amid health and socio-economic crises during a World Teachers’ Day protest on October 5.

The group condemned anew the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte for its neglect of teachers’ plight and attacks against the education sector.

“As teachers remain overworked, underpaid, and under supported by the Duterte admin, we are challenged yet again to take action and utilize our collective strength to forward the interests of our sector. We shall exhaust all available measures, exercise our constitutionally protected rights and freedoms to better the conditions of millions of educators in the country and the state of Philippine education—not only for our benefit, but for the entire nation whom we continue to serve,” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said.

ACT’s 5 WTD demands include salary upgrade, overtime compensation, support for teachers and learners (laptops and P1,500 monthly internet allowance for teachers, gadgets and P10,000 pandemic aid for students, P3,000 inflation adjustment allowance and P10,000 tax-exempt election service honorarium.

During a “send-off” program, teachers and other members of the academic community extended their demands to ACT Teachers Party-list nominees who are the education workers’ voices in Congress.

“Congress is one key avenue in which the cause of teachers and the whole education sector can and shall be advanced. We challenge all aspirants to take on our just demands as they vie to be elected in public office,” Basilio said

ACT led hundreds of teachers in the streets of Manila and marched to Mendiola to press the Duterte government to respond to their urgent demands and to denounce Duterte’s policy of state abandonment and fascism against education workers and institutions.