THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers Philippines kicked off this year’s National Teachers’ Month on Wednesday with a protest rally at the House of Representatives, pressing for a substantial salary increase and a doubled education budget as lawmakers begin deliberations on the proposed 2026 allocation for DepEd.

Teachers carried salbida (lifebuoys) to symbolize their call to “save education from sinking deeper into crisis,” while pushing for their six-point World Teachers’ Day (WTD) Demands.

“While we are already drowning in shortages of teachers, staff, classrooms, and teaching materials, the government is pushing education further underwater by prioritizing debt payments and corruption-ridden infrastructure projects instead of the basic needs of schools,” ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said.

Quetua stressed that current pay levels are “inhumane,” forcing many teachers to overwork, take multiple jobs, or leave the profession altogether—worsening shortages and undermining learning quality.

ACT’s six WTD Demands include: a substantial salary hike; doubling the education budget; better benefits and retirement security; a nationalist, scientific, mass-oriented curriculum; accountability from the Marcos Jr. administration for corruption and neglect; and stronger protection of teachers’ democratic rights.

“If the government is serious about saving education, it must ensure enough classrooms, teachers, and materials in every school. With the worsening economic crisis burdening teachers, students, and ordinary citizens, a just salary increase and a doubled education budget are more urgent than ever,” Quetua added.

ACT noted that the proposed 2026 budget still fails to address long-standing gaps, including shortages of 165,000 classrooms, 150,000 teachers, 144,000 support staff, and millions of textbooks and other materials.

The group vowed to sustain nationwide protest actions throughout National Teachers’ Month, culminating in bigger mobilizations on World Teachers’ Day, October 5.