THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers again called on the Department of Education to fulfill its overdue promise of releasing the guidelines for teachers’ overtime compensation which, per teacher, amounts to at least P23,605.71 and 87 days’ worth of service credits.

The group earlier set an ultimatum for DepEd to release the guidelines on or before October 5—after which, the group vowed to “claim their overtime credits through a mass leave” or synchronized 1-day of absence.

“It is downright insulting to our teachers for this to have gone on for too long, which forced our teachers to set an ultimatum—in teachers’ month no less. Pinagtrabaho na nga nang walang tigil sa loob ng 13 buwan, ipagkakait pa ang karapatan nila na mabayaran para rito. Does DepEd really have no shame left?” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said.

ACT said there were reports from the ground that there is an inhumane increase in teachers’ workload from last school year. Teachers reported that they have up to 7–10 class loads, instead of the usual 5–6. Majority of the reports also indicate that teachers are handling more class sections this school year compared to last year.

“How thick-skinned DepEd can be to shamelessly increase the workload of our teachers and demand even more from them, while DepEd itself continue to run away from its legal obligation to compensate our teachers’ overtime pay? May gana pa sila ngayong umatras sa usapan. Kaharap na natin ang CSC at si Congresswoman France Castro, malinaw nating pinagkaisahan na nag-render ng OT ang mga guro at karapat-dapat silang mabayaran dito, nasaan ang dangal ninyo? Wala kayong isang salita,” Basilio fumed.

“It’s not like we’re asking for alms here. This is our teachers’ hard-earned labor—a clear proof of our dedication to education delivery despite grave state abandonment. It’s the government’s most basic duty to properly compensate their employees for services we rendered,” he said.

“They have six days to meet our teachers’ deadline. DepEd should remember that we would not sit idly as our teachers are refused of their rights. We will claim what is due us, and remind DepEd to fulfill its obligations to teachers, whom they are sworn to serve,” he said.