CAMARINES Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. urged his colleagues to approve the measure upgrading the minimum salary grade level of teachers from Salary Grade 11 to 19 in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign promise of a salary increase.

The solon said the proposal would complement the bill bumping up the teaching supplies allowance of some 800,000 public school teachers that was recently approved by both houses of Congress.

Villafuerte said the low salary rates for around 800,000 public school teachers have resulted in disincentivization to improve their skills and pursue further education and training.

“Despite their heavy workload and essential role as agents of constructive intellectual, social, cultural, political, and moral change in our society, our public school teachers are among the most underpaid workers in the country,” he said in a statement.

“Increasing their take-home pay and providing for a permanent teaching supplies allowance with a provision for a steady bump per school year will hopefully incentivize them to strive for excellence in their field and make teaching a more attractive profession for our students,” he added.

Based on House Bill 1851, the salary upgrade shall be differentiated by the five qualifications and length of service rendered by teachers and shall not be prejudiced by across-the-board salary adjustments.

Villafuerte said House Bill 1851 complements House Bill 9682, which proposes that the yearly teaching allowance will increase from the current P5,000 to P7,500 per teacher for the School Year 2024-2025, and P10,000 per teacher in the succeeding school years.

Under Section 4 of HB 9682, the allowance can be used to buy tangible or intangible teaching supplies and materials, pay incidental expenses, and implement or conduct various learning delivery modalities.