Teachers’ allowances to increase

MANILA, Philippines — Senators have vowed to find ways to increase the allowances of public school teachers in the proposed P3.7-trillion national budget for 2018.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Sen. Loren Legarda made the separate commitments after the Department of Education (DepEd)’s budget was slashed by P30 billion due to the agency’s underspending.

Recto called for the rechanneling of DepEd’s 2018 budget wherein benefit amelioration items will be added to the income retained when bigger personal income tax exemptions take effect, resulting in a higher take-home pay for public elementary and high school teachers.

On top of these, new tax exemption rates in the proposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion will have teachers either pay zero tax or a smaller tax on their income.