Include salary hike in 2019 budget, lawmakers urge Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers representing public school teachers urged President Duterte yesterday to “walk the talk” on increasing government salaries by including funds for the promised adjustment in next year’s budget.

“It’s high time for the President to go beyond promises and to actually walk the talk by issuing marching orders to Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno to include funds for government pay hike in the administration’s proposal for the 2019 budget,” Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro of Alliance of Concerned Teachers said.

They said the salary increase should cover not only teachers but other workers in the bureaucracy as well.

 Last Friday, Duterte again promised to adjust compensation for teachers. He did not mention other government workers.

Upon his request, Congress had passed a law increasing the salaries of military and police personnel starting this year. The basic pay of the lowest-paid soldier or policeman is now about P10,000 more than what his counterpart in the public school system receives.