SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian hailed the Senate’s ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the ‘Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act’, which would increase the teaching allowance for public school teachers.

The senator said that the grant of a Teaching Allowance would help relieve teachers from the burden of spending their own money to perform their teaching duties.

Under the reconciled version of House Bill No. 9682 and Senate Bill No. 1964, the grant of a teaching allowance to all public school teachers is institutionalized.

Starting School Year 2025-2026, the Teaching Allowance will amount to P10,000.

It shall be used to purchase tangible or intangible teaching supplies and materials, pay incidental expenses, and implement or conduct various learning delivery modalities.

Gatchalian, co-author of the proposed measure and chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said that it is time to institutionalize the grant of the Teaching Allowance, especially since the Senate approved similar measures during the 17th and 18th Congresses.

He further noted that while initiatives from Congress provided for the grant of a cash allowance for the purchase of teaching supplies under the national budget, institutionalizing the grant of this allowance will provide added financial security for teachers.

“Mahalagang tulong itong ipapaabot natin sa mga public school teachers, lalo na’t kadalasan ay nanggagaling sa sarili nilang bulsa ang perang pinambibili nila ng sapat na gamit sa pagtuturo,” said Gatchalian.

Under the proposed measure, the Teaching Allowance shall not be subject to income tax.