08/12/2022
Teachers lose P3,862 of monthly salary to inflation
With the country’s inflation rate hitting a 14-year high of 7.7% in October 2022, the purchasing power of entry-level public school teachers’ P25,439 monthly salary is cut by P3,862 or P175.55 in their daily pay, according to the computations of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers.
The eroded amount accounts to 15% of the current basic pay of Teacher I, which now has a real value of P21,576.76. The computations are based on the depreciation of the purchasing power of 1 peso, now only worth 85 centavos compared to its value in 2018. Public school teachers occupying Teacher I positions form 52% of all public school teachers nationwide.
“From 2018 to 2022, the Teacher I position received a total of P5,292 increase in their monthly salaries through the pay adjustments of the Salary Standardization Law IV and V. But with the soaring inflation, the real value of this salary increase is reduced by 73% or P3,862. Sa madaling salita, mula 2018 hanggang ngayon ay P1,397.76 lamang ang tunay na natamasang umento ng Teacher I sa kanilang buwanang sweldo, o P25 kada araw,” lamented Vladimer Quetua, ACT Chairperson.
“Sa totoo lang, mas mababa pa ang aktwal na nagagamit ng g**o para sa pangangailangan ng kanilang pamilya dahil umaabot ng P3,820 ang buwanang kaltas sa sweldo para sa income tax at mandatory contributions. Further, as majority of our teachers are deep in loans, many only receive a monthly net take home pay of P5,000 after loan payment deductions. Talagang kasama ng malawak na bilang ng mamamayan, gutom rin ang inaabot ng pamilya ng ating mga g**o,” explained Quetua.
“There is really no more room for belt-tightening in this predicament, we are in an emergency situation that calls for emergency measures. There is no indication that the economy will improve in the next months with the global crisis projected to even worsen, and our spineless local economy sure to be dragged further under water. Our people and our teachers deserve to afford regular meals and basic needs, the Marcos government has to urgently effect pay hikes to bring wages and salaries to liveable levels,” asserted Quetua.
“Ibon Foundation’s computation of family living wage based on government data now amounts to P1,119 daily or about P33,000 a month. None of the 92% of public school teachers, who occupy Teacher I, II and III positions, receive salaries of that level. The minimum wage in the private and public sector should approximate these amounts to allow our people to meet their basic needs. The salary level of Teacher I in public schools should be upgraded from the current salary grade 11 to salary grade 15 so that they can have a gross pay of around P35,000 per month,” Quetua urged.
“Hindi na maaari ang pagdadahilan na walang magagawa ang gobyerno dahil pandaigdigan ang krisis. What are they in power for if they cannot manage the economy and safeguard the welfare of the people? It is well within the government’s powers to effect wage hikes and bring down the prices of commodities through the removal of onerous taxes on essential goods,” ended Quetua.
