DepEd cautions LGUs on teachers’ allowances

MANILA, Philippines - Local government units (LGUs) should ensure that optional allowances they give teachers are legitimate, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said on Monday.

While she acknowledged LGUs as allies of the Department of Education (DepEd) in special programs and projects and welcomed LGUs giving additional compensation to public school teachers as is their prerogative to do so, these allowances should be from sources such as the General Fund.

LGUs source teachers’ allowance from the Special Education Fund (SEF).

DepEd recently came under fire after it issued a joint circular with the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)  that revised the rules on the  SEF utilization.

The new circular prohibited LGUs from using the fund to provide allowances to nationally hired teachers, raising fears that educators in some areas may lose allowances of as much as P3,000 per month.

Also removed as chargeable expenses to SEF include funding assistance for trainings and seminars as well as welfare aid for teachers such as medical assistance under the Magna Carta for public school teachers.

Addressing the concerns, Briones said LGUs could still provide the allowances, but these should come from legitimate sources such as the general fund.

“The law is very clear as to what it should be spent for, such as school improvements, textbooks, educational programs and the like,” Briones said, referring to the SEF.

Although payment of allowances of nationally hired teachers is not included, LGUs are not prohibited from doing so. These additional allowances may be sourced from the LGUs’ regular budget or general fund, subject to existing budgeting rules and regulations.

The DepEd, the DILG and DBM recently issued Joint Circular No. 1 on the revised guidelines on the use of the SEF. This updates the guidelines and policies on the use and purpose of the SEF as provided under Republic Act 7160, Local Government Code of 1991. 

Briones said public school teachers are well-compensated, contrary to the old notion that they are underpaid.