PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Education (DepEd) to give public school teachers a higher service recognition incentive (SRI), Malacañang said Tuesday.
The SRI is a yearly financial incentive granted to government employees in recognition of their service.
Marcos issued the directive during his meeting with Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and Education Secretary Sonny Angara in Malacañang.
“Recognizing the crucial role of teachers in molding the Filipino youth, the government aims to increase the SRI of an estimated 1,011,800 DepEd personnel from P18,000 to P20,000,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.
“This December 2024, President Marcos Jr. has tasked the DBM and DepEd to explore budgetary measures to ensure the SRI increase for DepEd personnel can be implemented while remaining mindful of fiscal responsibilities,” it added.
The PCO said the implementation timeline and the establishment of the funding mechanisms for the initiative were underway.
Angara thanked the President, saying the directive was a morale booster for educators.
“This initiative underscores our shared goal of empowering teachers and reinforcing their critical role in shaping the future of Filipino learners,” he added.
During the 2024 National Teachers’ Day celebration in October, Marcos vowed a more balanced and conducive work environment for public school teachers.
“We are committed to ensuring that you have ample resources to teach — whether by additional materials, reducing non-teaching, and/or reducing non-teaching responsibilities. So, in line with that commitment, we have implemented several measures that will transform the lives of our 860,000 public school teachers,” Marcos said, adding no public school teacher would retire at an entry-level position.
The President said the Expanded Career Progression system mandated by Executive Order 174 offers two career paths: classroom teaching and school administration.
“We have also streamlined the career path for public school administrators to lay the groundwork for school leaders rising from the ranks of master teachers. With this flexibility to move between classroom teaching and school administration, you can grow professionally, explore new roles and assume leadership positions,” he added.
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