THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers challenged the candidates in the coming elections to include the teachers’ and the education sector’s agenda in their platforms.

“We are calling on all those who wish to be elected in office to include in their top platform the cause of teachers and the education sector. The Duterte administration has abandoned us in the last five years, to the tragic detriment of our education system, its frontliners, and millions of youth. With the elections coming up, we intend to use our power as citizens to elect those who will take on our most pressing demands,” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said in a statement.

During a press briefing, several ACT leaders said they expect candidates to tackle issues like salary upgrade of education workers and the provision of ample benefits to public school teachers and education support personnel.

“We are all aware of how President [Rodrigo] Duterte betrayed teachers by never fulfilling his promise to double their salaries, then attacked those who dared to hold him accountable. Such is the legacy of this administration, and many candidates are already announcing their intent to continue more of the same. We will not let that happen. We demand change, we demand promises to be fulfilled and the education sector to finally receive due prioritization and sufficient support from the government,” Basilio added.

The group reiterated its demand for safe school re-opening, accessible quality education, ample medical responses to the pandemic, an end to contractualization especially in private schools, and academic freedom.

ACT said that in the coming weeks, it will visit the offices of presidential candidates, specifically Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso, to submit their demands and hold a dialogue.

“We are preparing to submit teachers’ and the education sector’s agenda to our presidentiables in the coming weeks. We’ve written to them, and call on them to meet with us to discuss the state of our sector and to hopefully get their support,” Basilio said.