TO RECOGNIZE their invaluable role in nation-building, Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. filed a measure that seeks to give teachers additional pay.

Senate Bill 267 or the proposed Public School Teachers’ Salary Upgrading Act aims to elevate the pay grade of entry-level public school teachers from Salary Grade 11 (P25,439) to Salary Grade 15 (P35,097).

The lawmaker acknowledged the indispensable role of teachers not only in molding the youth but also in upholding democracy and being one of the great pillars of society.

“Hindi matatawaran ang ambag ng mga guro kahit saan mang lipunan. Wala siguro tayo sa kinatatayuan natin ngayon kung hindi dahil sa mga masisigasig nating ‘ma’am’ at ‘sir’ na walang-humpay tayong ginabayan para maging matagumpay sa buhay,” he said.

“Sila ang kaakibat natin sa pagpapalaki sa ating mga anak. Sila ang humuhubog sa ating kabataan at lumilinang sa kanilang kinabukasan. Kaya nararapat lamang na pahalagahan sila ng gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay sa kanila ng tama, sapat, at napapanahong sahod,” Revilla added.

According to a National Economic and Development Authority report, a family of 5 needs P42,000.00 to be considered living above the poverty line.

This, however, has been exacerbated by the pandemic and rising inflation.

In spite of costlier basic needs, the salary of teachers has hardly increased.

“Dapat na natin itaas ang suweldo ng mga guro. Hindi na naaayon ang sahod na natatanggap nila sa bigat ng trabaho na ginagampanan nila, kasabay pa nang nagtataasang presyo ng bilihin. Let’s show how we value our teachers by compensating them properly. Nararapat lamang na bigyan natin ng tinig ang ating mga mahal na guro na ang kabayanihan at sakripisyo ang pundasyon ng sektor ng edukasyon,” the senator stressed.