THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers expressed disappointment over the hefty budget slash suffered by the education sector, saying it means reduced support for teachers.

The P30 billion budget proposed in the bill submitted by Reps. Lord Allan Velasco and Stella Quimbo was cut down to P5.6 billion despite the grave learning crisis. Only P1.2 billion will fund teachers’ internet allowance for 6 months, which means that the ‘measly’ P300 they received per month in 2020 will be further reduced to P200 monthly.

Meanwhile, only P3 billion was allotted for teachers’ laptops, which can only cover about 100,000 teachers if decent ones will be procured.

“This clearly shows that education remains least in this government’s priorities, despite overwhelming evidence of how teachers and students by the millions are grappling amidst the pandemic and under the problematic distance learning,” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said.

“We appeal to our lawmakers to make up for where Bayanihan 1, 2, and the 2021 General Appropriations Act failed and finally heed the education sector’s demand for ample budgetary allocation,” Basilio added.

The group also called on President Rodrigo Duterte to immediately call for a special session of Congress to jumpstart the preparations for the coming school year, beginning with providing ample budget for distance learning.