A TEACHERS’ group has expressed its full support to the impending Senate inquiry on the implementation of  RA 4670 or the 1966 Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, a law that ensures the rights of public educators.

“This law, a very important piece of legislation, is considered as the bible of Filipino teachers and lists several provisions that ensure the rights, welfare and dignity of the country’s public mentors. However, many of its provisions have not been implemented since the 1960s, and many still are selectively and partly enforced,” Benjo Basas, national chairperson of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition, said.

The TDC commended the initiative of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, in filing Senate Resolution 522 that seeks a comprehensive review of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers.

“This is the first major step in recent decades to critically analyze the law and the failure of government agencies — past and present — to implement its provisions especially those that need funding to ensure teachers’ welfare. We hope that funds for this law will be realized next fiscal year,” Basas said.

The group has been lobbying for the full implementation of the welfare provisions of the Magna Carta.

Basas cited an incident in a Senate Committee hearing last year where several proposals for teachers’ salaries were tackled and the Department of Budget and Management opposed it, especially the P10,000 across-the-board increase saying teachers already enjoy certain privileges.

The DBM said that teachers enjoy special hardship allowance, teaching overload or overtime pay, and the one salary grade higher upon retirement among other benefits.

The TDC disputes these claims.

“They must be informed that our teachers do not enjoy the honoraria for teaching overload or the overtime pay as stipulated in the Magna Carta. There is indeed a special hardship allowance, but it is implemented incorrectly as it is based only on a mere DBM circular which says that the maximum amount shall not exceed 25 percent of a teacher’s monthly salary contrary to the mandate of Magna Carta that 25 percent shall be the minimum. And that one salary grade higher upon retirement is another myth, for the GSIS uses its own policy for computing the retirement benefits of teachers. These three items are all required by the law, thus the DBM, GSIS and DepEd are duty-bound to implement them fully,” Basas explained.

“However, crucial at this time of pandemic are the provisions for free and compulsory medical examination, treatment and hospitalization, and compensation for injuries. These important provisions are not implemented until this very day when the teachers need it most,” he said.