A bill seeking to institutionalize teaching supply allowances for public school teachers nationwide to promote and improve the economic status of teachers, and assist them in providing quality education to their students is now pending for second reading after being introduced at the Senate plenary on Tuesday.
Senate Bill (SB) 1964 or the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, was jointly submitted by the Committees on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation; Basic Education; Ways and Means; and Finance with Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Robinhood Padilla, Sonny Angara, Christopher Lawrence Go, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Mark Villar, Ronald dela Rosa, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva as authors.
The measure is in substitution of SB 22, 94, 677, 1045, 1729, and 1831.
Under the bill, all public school teachers shall be granted a Teaching Supplies Allowance for the purchase of tangible or intangible teaching supplies and materials and for the implementation or conduct of various learning delivery modalities.
An amount of PHP7,500 per teacher shall be granted for School Year 2023-2024; and PHP 10,000.00 per teacher for School Year 2024-2025 will be given to them, a huge increase from the current PHP5,000 supply allowance per year.
The Teaching Supplies Allowance shall be automatically adjusted to its present value every three years to account for the changing prices of teaching supplies and materials and shall not be subject to income tax.
The amount shall be charged from the appropriations of the Department of Education (DepEd) under the General Appropriations Act.
“The proposed bill grants all public school teachers engaged in teaching basic education curriculum, consistent with the learning modalities recognized by the DepEd, and will ensure that the teaching profession will attract and retain the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment,” SB 1964 said. (PNA)
