Contractual teachers to receive benefits and incentives

A lawmaker has filed a measure granting benefits and incentives to long time contractual
public school teachers in the country.
Rep. Gavini C. Pancho (2
nd
istrict! "ulacan# said $ouse "ill %&'( recogni)es the need to
protect the rights of volunteer teachers against abuse and economic e*ploitation.
According to Pancho! the Philippine Association of +tate ,niversities and Colleges
(PA+,C# has more than -'!&&& part.time teachers with service contracts in -&' state universities
and colleges during the academic year 2&--.2&-2.
/ue to the scarcity of available plantilla positions in the epartment of 0ducation
(ep0d#! many contractual teachers are hired by local governments at lower salaries to fill in the
shortage of teachers in our +,Cs!1 Pancho said.
Pancho said the 2agna Carta for Public +chool 3eachers provides that the remunerations
of public school teachers shall compare favorably with those paid in other occupations re4uiring
e4uivalent 4ualifications! training and abilities such as to insure teachers a reasonable standard of
life for themselves and their families.
/+ervice contracts do not establish an employer.employee relationship! making volunteer
teachers denied of benefits such as P0RA! Cost of 5iving Allowance (C65A#! Representation
and 3ransportation Allowance (RA3A#! mid.year bonus! productivity incentive! Christmas bonus
and cash gifts!1 Pancho said.
/3hey do not en7oy security of tenure! and coverage by the Government +ervice 8nsurance
+ystem (G+8+# even if they are often rehired on the same terms! year in and year out! even more
than five years!1 Pancho said.
/Currently!1 Pancho said! /there is no national legislation to provide the 7ust and moral
compensation of volunteer teachers in the government.run.schools in the country.1
,nder the measure! all contractual teachers who have been serving for at least three years
in any post.secondary institutions as state universities and colleges (+,Cs#! local universities and
colleges (5,Cs#! whether nationally or locally funded! including those in technical and
vocational schools and alternative learning system of the ep0d are entitled to receive benefits
and incentives as provided by law.
3he contractual teachers shall be covered by the Government +ervice 8nsurance +ystem
(G+8+#! the Philippine $ealth 8nsurance Corporation (P$85$0A53$#! and the $ome
evelopment 2utual 9und or Pag.8"8G! and full entitlement to all the benefits in accordance
with the pertinent provisions provided by law.
NR # 3628
OCT. 23, 2014
"oth the institution and the volunteer teacher shall shoulder premium payments or
contributions with each proportionate share in the premium payments or contributions.
3he measure also allows Christmas bonus of at least one half of what their regular
counterparts received as mandated by law.
An annual service incentive leave of five days with pay per year shall be provided to the
volunteer teachers but unused leaves may not be converted to cash and are not cumulative or may
not be carried over to the succeeding years.
An instructional materials allowance amounting to P-!%&& per month will be given to
volunteer teachers of basic and higher education nationwide including those serving in the
alternative learning system of the epartment of 0ducation.
3he concerned teachers are e*empted from paying tuition and matriculation fees for his or
her continuing education in any state college or university.
3he ep0d with the Commission on $igher 0ducation (C$0# shall come up with a
specific programmed budget needed to cover the e*penses for the granting of benefits for all
contractual teachers for a period of at least five years to allow the epartment of "udget and
2anagement ("2# to make the necessary budgetary ad7ustments to facilitate the smooth
implementation of the proposed Act.
3he ep0d and the C$0! together with the "2! G+8+! epartment of 5abor and
0mployment (650#! Phil$ealth! and the $ome evelopment 2utual 9und or Pag.8"8G shall
promulgate necessary implementing rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this
measure.
3he ep0d and the C$0! in coordination with the 650! the G+8+! the Phil.$ealth and
Pag.8"8G shall develop and implement a continuous information dissemination program on the
provisions of the Act! both at the national and local level. ('&# jc