Makati OKs P117-M back allowances for teaching, non-teaching staff

MANILA, Philippines - Makati City Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña on Friday signed a resolution by the Makati City School Board approving the release of P117 million from the city’s supplemental budget for the back allowances of teaching and non-teaching personnel in the city’s public elementary and secondary schools.

Peña said that under the school board resolution dated Feb. 3, 2016, the amount released will cover the back allowances of the teaching and non-teaching personnel from 1998 to 2014. To benefit from the release of the back allowance are some 3,250 teachers from the city’s 29 elementary and 10 high schools.

Each teaching and non-teaching personnel will be receiving between P60,000 to P100,000 in back allowances, Peña said. The back allowances will be released in the payroll next month.

“So ‘yun po, ito po ay talagang paulit-ulit na hinihiling sa amin, for the longest time, even kapag magkakaroon po kami ng pagpupulong sa mga guro, even kahit ano pong event ‘yun, ito po ay talagang gusto na nilang makuha dahil under naman po sa batas, talagang nararapat po na ibigay sa kanila. Nais lang po naming sabihin dito na kami po sa lungsod ng Makati, under ng bagong Makati, ang kagustuhan po ng lahat dito ay maibigay ‘yung benepisyo hindi lang po sa mga hanay ng mga guro, maging po sa mga empleyado ng city government at maging po doon sa ating mga mamamayan sa iba’t ibang barangay,” Peña said.

Meanwhile, in addition to the release of the back allowances of the teaching and non-teaching public school personnel, the Makati City School Board resolution also allotted nearly P250 million for the procurement of tablet computers, charging carts, shoes for students in Grades 7 to 11 and athletic jackets for both teaching and non-teaching personnel.   

“We are doing everything we can in the best interest of the teachers and students that are central to lift up their confidence and morale, and getting the pupils ready as the next generation of leaders,” Peña said.

The resolution has also allocated more than P132 million for the renovation and improvement of public school buildings in the city.

Funding for the supplemental budget will be sourced out from the city government’s savings and surplus in 2015, the Makati City government said.