CAMARINES Sur Second District Representative LRay Villafuerte on Saturday clarified that vocational instructors and librarians are also entitled to the higher teaching allowance under the Republic Act No. 11997, or the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act.

“The 100 percent increase in the current teaching allowance of P5,000 yearly per teacher in recognition of the invaluable contribution of our educators to nation-building is certainly timely in the face of sticky inflation,” Villafuerte explained.

The lawmaker stressed that the P10,000 allowance next school year awaits not only public school teachers with teaching loads in basic education but also vocational instructors, librarians, guidance counselors, and teachers in the Alternative Learning System and community learning centers.

He said this doubled teaching allowance is tax-free and considered an outright expense. Hence, the beneficiaries no longer have to submit or present official receipts as proof of their purchases.

Meanwhile, Villafuerte lauded Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara for the prompt approval of the implementing rules and regulations of the law that bumps up the annual allowance of public school teachers for their purchases of teaching supplies and materials, payment of incidental expenses, and the implementation of various learning delivery modes in their respective schools.

Villafuerte noted that under the IRR approved by Angara, RA No.11997’s beneficiaries are public school teachers engaged in classroom teaching, whether permanent or provisional, including guidance counselors, school librarians, industrial arts or vocational instructors, and all other persons performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all public schools.

Additionally, the IRR states that ALS and mobile teachers, and district ALS coordinators, in all public elementary, junior, and senior high schools, and community learning centers are included.

Teaching load refers to the actual teaching hours or minutes rendered by teachers in the classrooms.