Senate Senior Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito is pushing for a P10,000 across-the-board increase in the monthly basic salary of all public elementary and secondary school teachers.

Under Senate Bill 335, or the proposed “Dagdag Suweldo Para sa mga Guro Act,” public school teachers would receive an additional P10,000 monthly regardless of their length of service.

Ejercito said the measure recognizes teachers’ role in educating Filipino children while helping them cope with economic pressures.

“Araw-araw, hindi lang pagtuturo ang ginagawa ng ating mga guro. Naghahanda sila ng lessons, nagche-check ng mga papel, gumagawa ng reports, at higit sa lahat, inaalagaan at ginagabayan nila ang ating mga estudyante. Nakikita natin ang kanilang pagod at sakripisyo,” Ejercito said.

He said better compensation could improve teachers’ quality of life and encourage talented educators to remain in the public school system.

“Hindi madaling maging guro. Malaki ang responsibilidad nila, pero madalas ay malaki rin ang sakripisyong kailangang gawin para matupad ang kanilang tungkulin. Kaya panahon na para mas maipakita natin ang ating pagpapahalaga sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng dagdag-sahod,” he said.

Ejercito stressed that improving teachers’ economic welfare is also an investment in education.

“Hindi natin makakamit ang de-kalidad na edukasyon kung ang mga taong nasa frontline nito ay patuloy na nahihirapan sa kanilang kabuhayan,” he said.