THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers welcomed the move of the Senate Committee on Finance to raise the budget of the Department of Education and state universities and colleges.

The group said it is a product of the relentless fight of education stakeholders which brought to light the dire necessity for greater state support to the sector.

It said that more funds are needed to meet for the education sector.

“We welcome the developments in our fight for bigger funding for education, but more needs to be done. With the country still in a back-to-back health and economic crises, many of our fellow Filipinos are still struggling to keep their heads above water,” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said.

The group said the Senate panel’s push highlighted the criticism they raised on the lack of provision for face-to-face classes in the administration’s proposed 2022 budget.

Even the P100,000 provision promised by DepEd to those who are participating in the pilot run of in-classroom learning is not sufficient, the group said.

“The P100,000 assistance to schools who are holding limited face-to-face classes will not suffice to ensure the installment of all the needed protective measures; not to mention how these funds will likely need to first be shouldered by already grappling schools, before being reimbursed later. Sa tagal nang napabayaan ang mga eskuwelahan, napakalaki ng pangangailangan para makahabol sa mga rekisito ng ligtas na balik-paaralan,” Basilio said.

ACT’s computation showed that P118 billion is needed to fund the needs of basic education such as ensuring safe school re-opening in more areas; providing laptops, gadgets and internet allowance to teachers and students; granting health protection and just benefits of education workers, which includes 25 percent overtime premium, hazard pay, and medical fund.

The same needs demand to be addressed in state universities and colleges, with more students employing blended modes of in-classroom and distance learning.

ACT also called on the Senate to restore the P14.8-billion budget cut in the administration’s proposed budget for SUCs.

“Kinakailangan ng sektor ng edukasyon ng karampatang badyet upang muli itong makabangon, lalo’t unti-unti nang nagbubukas ang ating mga paaralan,” Basilio said.