ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro raised this question as she bewailed the measly increase in teachers’ allowance in the 2021 budget.

Castro said the bicam panel approved a P1,000 allotment for internet subscription for 10 months per school year or P100 per month, a far cry from their call of P1,500 internet connectivity allowance per month.

“Sa panlabas, mukhang lumaki ang inilaan na cash allowance para sa masang kaguruan ngunit sa katunayan, kinumpol lamang sa iisang basket ang P5,000 cash allowance kung saan ang dati nang P3,500 cash allowance ay dinagdagan lang ng P1,000 para sa internet subscription at communication expense sa buong pampanuruang taon at P500 para sa medical allowance,” Castro said.

“This P1,000 internet subscription allowance for next year is way lower than the Department of Education’s allowance for the reimbursement of communication expenses from March 16 to end of 2020 amounting to P3,000, and way lower than our proposal which is P10,000 good for the entire school year,” she added.

The lawmaker said that a teacher will spend P300 to P500 a week for internet and communication.

The measly cash allowance leaves teachers no choice but to shell out their own money for their teaching expenses, she added.

“The 2021 national budget of the Duterte administration only proves that this government has absolutely no appreciation and care for teachers and the education sector as it remains its skewed priorities amid the worsening crisis in our health system, economy and education,” Castro said.