MAKATI City Mayor Abby Binay stressed the need for the government to invest in the professional development of teachers through continuing education and training programs.

“Siguraduhin nating magaling magturo ang ating mga guro at kaya nilang sumabay sa mabilis na pagbabagong dala ng teknolohiya. Hindi pwedeng mapag-iwanan sila. Pati ang kanilang mga estudyante ay mapag-iiwanan din,” Binay said.

She emphasized that, just like lawyers who are required to pursue continuing legal education, teachers should consistently hone their knowledge and skills to stay abreast of developments in their field.

Otherwise, investments in modernizing school facilities would have little impact on the current state of education in the country, she added.

“Ultimately, the quality of education rests on the effectiveness and competence of our teachers. They should be empowered to be excellent educators, capable of adapting to technological advancements that are rapidly transforming traditional teaching methods,” Binay said.

She also noted that the government should subsidize the costs to avoid burdening teachers.

“Dapat mag-invest tayo sa professional development ng mga guro at bigyan sila ng sapat na oportunidad para maging mas mahusay na educators,” Binay added.

Binay shared her desire to implement nationwide the programs introduced in Makati, where her administration has prioritized teacher development, allocating an annual budget for providing teachers with the tools and training they need.

Under Project TEACH (Teacher Effectiveness and Competence Honing), the city government, through its Special Education Fund, has subsidized executive courses for public school teachers with annual allocations ranging from P7 million to P15 million.

Starting this year, Makati will implement an Executive Class Diploma program in partnership with St. Paul College of Makati.

Other benefits enjoyed by public school teachers in Makati include free health services under the Yellow Card program, such as medical checkups, laboratory services, hospitalization, and maintenance medication, among others.

On Mayor Binay’s initiative, teachers also enjoy additional monetary benefits, including a P3,000 monthly incentive, P6,000 year-end fringe benefits, monthly allowances of P2,500 for SPED teachers, P3,000 for ALS, P4,500 for ASATIDZ teachers, and a P5,000 chalk allowance for preschool teachers every school year.