TEACHERS and education workers from across the country have issued a unity statement calling for decent and livable salaries, increased education funding, and an end to systemic corruption, describing the crisis in Philippine education as a crisis of neglect.

The statement, signed by public school teachers, educators, and school personnel from both public and private institutions—from basic to higher education—highlighted the harsh realities faced by workers in the sector.

“We report for work every day with barely enough pay, almost no benefits, and tasks that never end,” the group said, adding that classrooms remain inadequate, staff positions unfilled, and the overall quality of education continues to decline due to what they described as government austerity and neglect.

The educators criticized the national budget process, saying it fails to reflect the constitutional mandate that education should receive the highest priority. They alleged that funds meant for the sector are often diluted, delayed, or lost to inefficiency and corruption.

“We reject the narrative that there is simply ‘not enough’ to go around. There is enough—what is lacking is the political will to enact a budget law that truly accords the highest priority to education,” the statement read. “Corruption steals directly from learners, teachers, and communities.”

The group called for accountability from officials involved in crafting, approving, and implementing the education budget. They demanded a comprehensive anti-corruption drive that goes beyond rhetoric and selective investigations, urging authorities to hold all erring officials, contractors, and accomplices accountable regardless of rank or political affiliation.

They also pushed for greater transparency in budget processes and meaningful consultation with educators and unions, while criticizing policies that allegedly prioritize profit, patronage, and public image over genuine public service.

Invoking the spirit of the EDSA People Power Revolution, the educators described it as an unfinished struggle against elite rule and impunity. They said the 1986 uprising affirmed that power resides in the people and must be asserted through collective action.

The group vowed to continue advocating for higher wages, honest governance, and what they described as a nationalist, democratic, and people-oriented education system, in solidarity with other marginalized sectors.