Teachers march to Mendiola, demand P15,000 pay hike

MANILA, Philippines — Public school teachers from the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and Region 1 marched from the Department of Budget and Management main office in San Miguel, Manila to Mendiola to demand action from the Marcos administration on the pending bills providing for a P15,000 across-the-board salary increase.

Benjo Basas, Teachers’ Dignity Coalition chairperson, said the proposed pay hike is both urgent and financially attainable if the government realigns its spending priorities.

“Our government can easily afford it. This is even a smaller amount compared to the funds discovered stolen in anomalous projects. And if the funds are allocated to increase teacher salaries, the government will not suffer any losses,” Basas said.

“At least P210 billion is needed to fund the wage hike for at least one million Department of Education personnel,” he added, noting that the amount is lower than the P346 billion the government allocated for flood control projects in 2025.

According to Basas, Senate Bill 211 filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros and House Bill 4500 authored by Rep. Gerald Galang seeks to implement the pay hike in three years.

He called on President Marcos and Education Secretary Sonny Angara to act decisively on the long-pending proposal.

Basas said teachers would continue their protest actions until classes open in June.