SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday addressed the renewed call of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers for a P50,000 monthly salary for public school teachers, acknowledging the proposal’s aspirational nature while highlighting its implications on the government’s overall salary structure.

“Right now, the entry-level salary of teachers is at the P27,000 level. Of course, it is aspirational to increase that to P50,000,” Gatchalian stated.

He emphasized, however, that salary adjustments for one sector, such as teachers, must consider the demands of other professions, particularly nurses.

“Just yesterday, we also heard nurses voicing their concerns and calling for salary increases. So, in other words, we need to look at the entire system when it comes to raising wages,” the senator explained.

A consistent advocate for better support for educators, Gatchalian expressed his personal support for the proposed increase but acknowledged the challenge of identifying sustainable funding sources.

The senator stressed the need for equitable solutions that consider all sectors, cautioning that prioritizing one group could lead to similar demands from others, straining the government’s budget.

Despite financial hurdles, Gatchalian reiterated the importance of improving teacher compensation.

“This is a matter of ensuring we prioritize education while also balancing the needs of other sectors,” he concluded.