THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers condemned the government’s alleged failure to address the neglect of teachers’ welfare amid the pandemic, saying it is a huge blow to education stakeholders’ confidence in the government’s ability and its willingness to salvage the worsening education crisis.

The group noted that the government has yet to solve issues on salary upgrading, full grant of delayed benefits, and the lack of a clear plan for a safe, accessible, and quality education.

“The government’s lack of commitment in upholding the right to education and prioritizing teachers’ welfare deliberately destroys any attempts from the ground to salvage the crippling state of education. Duterte’s broken promise of a genuine salary increase for teachers, instead of granting a measly P1,562 monthly increase in teachers’ salary every year from 2020 to 2022 is a clear indication of his interest in teachers’ welfare,” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said in a statement.

“Furthermore, such meager ‘increase’ is rendered useless amid the aggravating economic crisis on top of the slow pandemic response by the government. The 2.6 percent inflation in 2020 has eroded P580 off their P1,562 salary increase for 2020, while the 4.2 percent inflation this January consumed an additional P938 off their salary increase,” Basilio added.

The group lamented that despite teachers’ efforts to support education continuity, the government continues to turn a blind eye on teachers’ justifiable demands.

Teachers appealed for the release of the complete P10,000 service recognition incentive for 2020.

They also pressed for the immediate release of the Performance-Based Bonus of 2020.

ACT decried the excuse that there was no legal basis and funding to grant the teachers’ demand for P1,500 monthly internet allowance.

It said that teachers’ and education experts’ attempts to call out the government for its reckless and failing implementation of distance learning has been ignored.

The group also sought health protection for education workers who serve as frontliners.

“The government needs to treat our educators and learners as valuable assets to our country, and with such entails the provision of just salaries and benefits, and a concrete plan to respond to the education crisis,” the group said.

“Teachers’ fight for the right to education continues, and we urge the government to stop breaking hearts and fulfill its responsibility to its people and be held accountable to the damage its neglect has caused us,” Basilio said.