PURE media stunt.

This was how the Alliance of Concerned Teachers described the announcement on Tuesday by the Department of Education that teachers will receive P1,000 incentive  on World Teachers’ Day.

ACT on Wednesday said that DepEd’s move was aimed to boost the image of the administration. It pointed out that the P1,000 is a regular benefit that public school teachers have been receiving since 2018, and the funding for it is included in the 2021 General Appropriations Act.

“This is no news, there is no need for this announcement. For our public school teachers who have long been calling for salary increase and more substantial benefits amid the grueling distance learning, this announcement sounds desperate and pathetic,” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said.

Basilio called on DepEd to compensate the three-month overtime work rendered by teachers last school year. It also urged the department to come up with a better plan to ease teachers’ internet expenses for distance learning.

“This petty announcement of an incentive in a pitiful amount means nothing to teachers, what we need is P1,500 monthly internet allowance, payment of our overtime pay, and salary levels commensurate to our arduous duty,” Basilio said.