By Liza Soriano
Senator Nancy Binay reaffirmed her appeal for the approval of two measures that will advance teachers’ welfare.
“Umaasa akong maipasa na ang mga panukalang batas na sinusulong ang kapakanan ng mga guro bilang pagpapasalamat sa serbisyong ginagawa nila. Mas magiging makabuluhan ang ganitong aksyon kaysa simpleng pagbati lang ng Happy Teachers’ Day,” Binay said.
Binay is the author of Senate Bills Nos. 339, which calls for raising the monthly minimum wage for teachers and non-teaching employees, and SBN 2370, which calls for exempting honoraria, allowances, and other financial benefits that teachers receive for participating in elections from taxation.
If passed, SBN 339 raise the minimum salary of public school teachers in elementary and secondary schools from P25,439 to P28,000 a month
.The minimum salary of non-teaching personnel in elementary and secondary schools would also be upgraded from P12,517 to P16,000 a month.
Meanwhile, SBN 2370 stipulates that any honoraria, allowances, and other financial rewards given to teachers who work during an election period must be free from income tax and not be included in the determination of gross income.
Binay said that these two measures would go a long way towards helping teachers cope with the rising cost of living.
“Currently, what our teachers receive is not commensurate to the workload that they have no choice but to deliver. Kaya’t marami sa ating mga guro ang nababaon sa utang dahil kinakapos ang kita para sa kanilang pamilya,” she said.
The two bills are currently pending at the committee level.(ai/mnm)
