MANILA, Philippines - As the Department of Education (DepEd) seeks additional funding to address the shortages of teachers and classrooms in public schools, Congress has also been called to provide additional incentives to teachers assigned to far-flung areas.Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara filed House Bill 439 that would provide for a difficulty differential pay of P1,000 monthly to teachers in far-flung areas.Under his proposed measure, the monthly difficulty differential pay amounting to 10 percent of their basic salary will be added to teachers' basic salary and benefits and proposed incentives under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).''
The recent SSL somewhat improved the plight of the public school teachers but they need more incentives especially those assigned outside their town or province,'' Angara said.He has justified the allocation of the difficulty differential pay, citing the teachers' long distance to work, and the lack of access to transportation, and the absence of electricity and running water or waterworks system and of primary health care facility in their areas of duty.Most of these teachers have to take a one hour walk through footrails or take a banca, pumpboat, animal-drawn vehicle or even an ''animal-ride'' to get to their work stations.
Known as the ''Public School Teachers' Incentives Act of 2010,'' the bill also exempts dislocated teachers from tax liability.''It is the policy of the State to provide incentives to public school teachers who are assigned to teaching jobs outside of their respective towns and provinces,'' said Angara.But, those public school teachers who return to their own towns will not receive benefits and incentives under the proposed acts.Education Secretary Bro. More »
