THE DEPARTMENT of Education has expressed appreciation to the Senate for its approval of the bill that will increase the teaching supplies allowance of public school teachers.

“Our public school teachers are our modern-day heroes and we would like to thank the Senate of the Philippines for being one with us in continuously supporting their welfare. Our senators on Monday approved on third and final reading the institutionalization of the staggered increase of teaching supplies allowance in the next four years,” DepEd said in a statement.

Under Senate Bill 1092, the supplies allowance of teachers will be increased to P5,000 for school years 2021 until 2023, P7,500 for SY 2023-2024, and P10,000 for SY 2024-2025.

The agency said that the bill, if enacted into law, will provide a financial boost to teachers who continue to perform their duties amid the pandemic.

“We welcome this development, and the Senate’s suggested staggered approach will help us balance this with our fiscal programming considerations,” DepEd said.

“DepEd looks forward to more collaboration with our lawmakers in pushing necessary interventions to support our teachers and learners, and improve our overall basic education system for the benefit of the future generation,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition lauded the Senate for its proposed teaching aids allowance but reiterated that the need for laptop and internet connectivity allowance should be a priority.

“We appreciate this move, this unanimous decision of our Senate to raise the teaching aids allowance of our public school teachers from the current P3,500 to a maximum of P10,000 by 2024,” Benjo Basas, the group’s national chairman, said in a separate statement.

“However, the proposed amount will not be enough to meet the requirements of our teachers in the new modes of teaching where gadgets and internet connectivity are daily necessities. Thus, urgent action on laptop and internet allowance should still be considered,” Basas added.