Bong Go welcomes rollout of P10,000 teaching allowance

Senator Bong Go has lauded the nationwide implementation of the P10,000 teaching supplies allowance for public school educators under the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, emphasizing the need for sustained government support for teachers.

The law, officially Republic Act No. 11997, grants a yearly tax-free allowance to help cover the cost of classroom materials. Go co-authored and co-sponsored the measure, which was recently rolled out in regions including the National Capital Region and CARAGA.

“Teachers are the pillars of our education system. They deserve support for their daily needs inside the classroom,” Go said in Filipino, noting that the additional aid responds to longstanding calls for assistance.

He stressed that investing in education should go beyond infrastructure. “It’s not just about buildings or books. When teachers have the tools they need, they can teach more effectively — and students learn better,” he added.

The new P10,000 allowance represents a major increase from previous allocations and was welcomed by education groups nationwide.

Go also cited his support for other education-related legislation, such as Republic Act No. 11466 or the Salary Standardization Law 5, and Senate Bill No. 2504, which proposes another round of salary upgrades for government workers.

He co-authored several laws aimed at making education more inclusive, including:

• RA 12077, which allows a student loan moratorium during disasters;

• RA 11510, which institutionalizes the Alternative Learning System;

• RA 11984, which prohibits the “no permit, no exam” policy;

• RA 12006, which waives college entrance exam fees for top-performing students.

Go also backed the recently ratified Senate Bill No. 2974 or the Expanded PSHS System Act, which seeks to establish more Philippine Science High School campuses nationwide. He is pushing for the passage of SBN 1360 to widen access to the tertiary education subsidy under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.