MARIKINA City 1st District Rep. Marcy Teodoro is pushing for greater support for public school teachers through a proposed scholarship program that would help them pursue advanced degrees and provide educational assistance to their children.

On World Teachers’ Day, Teodoro refiled House Bill No. 10954, or the Public School Teachers Scholarship Grant Act, which was first filed by her husband, now Marikina City Mayor Maan Teodoro, during the 19th Congress.

The measure seeks to provide public school teachers with sustained support for professional development while helping ease the cost of their children’s education.

“Our public school teachers remain among the most undervalued yet indispensable pillars of nation-building,” Teodoro said.

She said teachers’ patience and dedication have helped generations of Filipinos develop critical thinking skills, adapt to change, and contribute meaningfully to society.

Teodoro said that during her tenure as Marikina mayor, she witnessed teachers spending their own money to pursue further studies and advance their careers while also prioritizing the education of their children.

“It is time that the State shoulder more of this burden, so that our educators need not choose between their own growth and that of their families,” she said.

Under the proposed measure, qualified public school teachers at all levels would be eligible for scholarships for master’s and doctoral degree programs offered by state universities and colleges accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Qualified teachers may also apply for scholarship grants for their children through the Department of Education (DepEd), covering preschool, elementary, and secondary education in public schools within their city or municipality.

For tertiary education, teachers may apply for scholarship grants for their children through CHED, covering enrollment in any state university or college in the country.

Children of retired public school teachers would also be entitled to 50 percent of the scholarship grant from preschool through college, provided they are legitimate, legitimated, or legally adopted children.

Aside from free tuition, each scholarship beneficiary would receive a ₱20,000 stipend for books, uniforms, school supplies, and other educational materials.