TEACHERS are prodding the lawmakers to realign what they described as ‘bloated’ intelligence and war funds to healthcare and education as the deliberation for the 2021 national budget opens.

Members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, along with other multi-sectoral organizations, trooped to the gates of the House of Representatives in Quezon City to demand bigger funding for education as well as other essential institutions like healthcare as the country grapples to survive the Covid19 pandemic.

The multi-sectoral rally was reportedly in response to the alleged blown-up war chest under the 2020 national budget, in which the president’s intelligence funds and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s budget have reportedly gained a significant increase in funding, of which the protesting groups argued can be used for the sector of education.

“Realign the blown-up intelligence and war funds to the health system, education and to aid provision for grappling families and essential institutions. Infrastructure budget should go to the building of schools and medical facilities. These are where our money should go,” ACT Secretary-General Raymond Basilio said, as posted on Facebook.

Basilio noted that the pandemic has ‘exposed’ the weakness of the country’s education system as it shifts to distant learning due to the ban on face-to-face interactions to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The ACT leader added that even before the global pandemic, education in the country is already facing challenges as the Department of Education’s poorly funded remote learning plans threatens to displace at least 4 million students while others will be left with diminished learning quality.

“These alone are grave injustices to the youth. No amount of making up by teachers will suffice, especially with the weakening of our ranks due to COVID-19 infection,” Basilio stressed.

“Specifically, to ensure the youth’s right to education, we call on Congress to fund the provision of gadgets, self-learning modules and other tech infrastructure for distance learning. All teachers and indigent learners must be issued laptops/tablets and internet allowance of at least P1,500/month.” Basilio said.