TINGOG Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre reaffirmed his commitment to advancing teachers’ welfare as he joined educators’ organizations from across the country in a courtesy call on House Speaker Ferdinand Martin “Bojie” Romualdez at the House of Representatives.

The meeting, initiated by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, focused on legislative measures aimed at strengthening support for teachers, including proposals seeking salary increases for both public and private school educators.

During the discussion, Acidre, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, highlighted the implementation of Republic Act No. 12288, a landmark education reform law based on House Bill No. 10270, which he principally authored during the 19th Congress.

The law institutionalized the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System, providing public school teachers and school leaders with clearer, more accessible pathways for advancement through either classroom teaching or school administration tracks.

For decades, many public school teachers faced limited opportunities for promotion, often waiting years for plantilla vacancies before moving up in rank despite having the required qualifications and experience.

Under the ECP framework, educators can now advance through reclassification based on merit, competence, qualifications, and professional standards, rather than relying solely on the availability of vacant positions.

The reform also created additional teaching positions—from Teacher IV to Teacher VII and up to Master Teacher VI—as well as equivalent career tracks for school administrators.

Acidre said the benefits of the reform are already being felt nationwide.

He cited the mass oathtaking ceremony held on May 25 at the Agusan Valley Convention Center, where 1,559 teachers and school heads in the Caraga Region formally assumed their newly promoted positions under the ECP system.

Since August 2025, nearly 80,000 teachers and school leaders across the country have been promoted under the expanded career progression framework, he noted.

Acidre also welcomed the national government’s efforts to address teacher shortages following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s announcement that nearly 33,000 additional teaching positions had been approved this year.

As of April 30, more than 60,000 teaching positions had already been filled nationwide, representing a 97.7-percent completion rate.

The lawmaker stressed that improving teachers’ welfare goes beyond salary increases and should also include meaningful opportunities for professional growth and career advancement.

He described the Expanded Career Progression System as a transformative reform that shifts the promotion process from one constrained by limited vacancies to a framework anchored on merit, competence, and professional development.