THE Teachers’ Dignity Coalition acknowledged the proposals for teacher pay increases filed in Congress, particularly the recent one from the Makabayan lawmakers, which seeks an increase in teachers’ entry-level pay from P27,000 to P50,000.

“Itong salary upgrading bills ay napakatagal nang proposal sa dalawang kapulungan ng Kongreso at mayroong napakaraming versions. Pero ang panukalang entry-level na P50, 000 ay ngayon lamang naisumite. Kaya naman suportado po namin ito,” Benjo Basas, the group’s national chairperson, said.

Basas, however, stressed that the teachers’ conscious effort to support the bills is crucial and that they should also contribute to this particular advocacy.

According to him, the proposals in Congress won’t pass into law if the teachers do not actively push for them and engage the legislators and the government as a whole.

“Madali lang namang magsumite ng panukalang batas, pero kung paano ito maipapasa sa dalawang kapulungan, naroon ang totoong laban,” Basas said.

Basas added that filing the bill does not mean that the proponent is sincere.

“Kung nakipag-ugnayan ba sila sa sektor, kung nagpatawag ba ng mga konsultasyon o talakayan, kung nabigyan ba ng panahon para sa public hearing ang panukala at kung paano kumuha ng suporta mula sa ibang mambabatas at sa madla ang proponent, ‘yan ang sukatan ng kanilang sinseridad,” he explained.

Basas claimed that during the 15th and 16th Congresses, even President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., then a senator, submitted proposals for the salary upgrade of teachers from SG-11 to SG-15.

Basas challenged the president, “Kaya ngayon ang tamang panahon para paalalahanan ang Pangulong Marcos. Nasaan na ang kanyang kagustuhang iangat ang kalagayan ng mga guro noong siya ay senador pa lamang? Ngayong pangulo na siya, sana gamitin niya ang kanyang kapangyarihan at impluwesiya upang maisabatas ang substansiyal na umento sa mga guro.”

The TDC has been calling for the upgrade of teachers’ entry-level salaries to at least salary grade 15, or to enact the long-demanded P10,000 across-the-board increase.

The group argued that the existing salary scheme, the Salary Standardization Law since 1989 has failed to substantially compensate public mentors, especially those in lower positions.

According to the said law, teachers’ position is pegged at salary grade 11, the lowest among government professionals.