THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers claimed that the P5,000 cash allowance to be given to teachers this year was a “repackaged” old allowances that “were actually slashed instead of raised.”

According to the Department of Education, the allowance shall cover annual medical and physical examination expense; internet and other communication expenses; and purchase of teaching supplies and materials.

Raymond Basilio, ACT secretary general, said that the cash allowance was not new.

“To reduce our teachers’ benefits but make it appear that they were granted increased allowances and improved support under distance learning, the government deceitfully lumped together our old benefits. As with the failed salary increase promise, the Duterte regime is swindling our teachers once more,” Basilio said.

Basilio explained that the P5,000 cash allowance for public school teachers in the 2021 general appropriations consists of the unincreased P3,500 pre-pandemic cash allowance for purchase of teaching supplies, P500 old medical allowance; and P1,000 internet and communication allowance for the whole year, which is considerably lower than the P300 monthly communication expense reimbursement granted in 2020 or the teachers’ P1,500 monthly internet allowance demand.

“The P1,000 internet allowance for the whole year is gravely insulting to our teachers who toil online for more than eight hours a day, including weekends, as this only amounts to 83 pesos per month. Kung sa piso-net o piso-wifi, 15 minuto internet connection lang ito kada araw,” Basilio said

He underscored the need to provide ample support for teachers in the conduct of distance learning.

He said that the P3,500 cash allowance for teaching supplies should be increased to P5,000 and on top of this, teachers should be granted P1,500 monthly internet allowance, while the P500 medical allowance should be given as a separate benefit in accordance to the Magna Carta of Public School Teachers.