ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro led the filing of a resolution calling for the suspension of the implementation of the twice-a-month release of salaries of teachers and personnel of the Department of Education.

Castro, together with Bayan Muna Partylist Reps. Carlos Isagani Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite and Eufemia Cullamat; Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Jane Elago urged the Committee on Basic Education and Culture to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, of the new salary scheme.

Castro said that the DepEd did not consult stakeholders before implementing the scheme.

“The stakeholders were not given any chance to be heard and even the Regional Offices, Division Offices and the Schools were ordered to comply immediately in the memorandum,” the group said in their resolution.

They stressed that the lack of consultation and feedback from teachers and education support personnel caused a lot of problems and concern.

“The DepEd neglected the basic democratic process that the agency should go through before implementing changes to employment-related matters,” the lawmaker stressed.