DepEd urged: Distribute P7,000 medical allowance

MANILA, Philippines —  Public school teachers are calling on the Department of Education (DepEd) to release the P7,000 annual medical allowance mandated by Executive Order 64 which, apart from increasing the wages of government workers, entitles them to additional allowance.

In a letter to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) sought urgency in the disbursement of the incentive under EO 64, which was also detailed in Department of Budget and Management Budget Circular 2024-6.

“With the school year nearing its conclusion, teachers are now required to undergo compulsory medical examinations. Given this urgent need, we respectfully seek an update on DepEd’s internal policy for implementing the said budget circular,” TDC chairman Benjo Basas declared in the letter, citing the circular’s mandate for agencies to release internal rules and guidelines.

Under the guidelines, the default mechanism for distributing the medical allowance is through a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), but the group raised concerns over the feasibility of enrolling all eligible teachers within the remaining months of the school year.

“Considering the time constraints and potential challenges in enrolling all eligible teachers within the remaining months, we appeal for an option to receive this benefit in cash. This would allow teachers to immediately address their medical needs without delay,” Basas stated.

Despite this request, the TDC underscored that an HMO-based system would be the ideal long-term solution, as it would provide more comprehensive and sustainable health care support for DepEd employees.

While pushing for the immediate cash disbursement of the medical allowance, the TDC also urged DepEd to expedite the selection of a reputable HMO provider that could facilitate health cards with broader coverage.

“TDC firmly believes that a well-structured HMO system would provide more comprehensive and sustainable health care support for DepEd employees. We urge the Department to expedite the selection of a reputable HMO provider that can facilitate health cards with broad coverage, ensuring teachers and other education personnel have access to quality medical services,” Basas added.

The TDC has expressed willingness to discuss the matter, which stands to benefit public education employees.

The P7,000 medical allowance is a first-of-its-kind benefit for teachers and government employees and is seen as a partial fulfillment of the provisions under the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, which has been in place since 1966.