TACLOBAN CITY– More than 900,000 public school teachers in the country could soon receive a higher annual World Teachers’ Day incentive after the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture approved a measure institutionalizing the benefit and increasing it from P1,000 to P3,000.
The committee, chaired by Roman Romulo, approved House Bill 4531 on Monday, May 18, subject to style amendments.
The proposed measure seeks to make the annual World Teachers’ Day Incentive Benefit (WTDIB) a permanent grant for public school teachers nationwide.
Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales, a co-author of the bill, said the measure formally recognizes the “vital and irreplaceable contributions” of teachers to national development and social advancement.
House Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan is also the other author of the measure.
Gonzales noted that the UNESCO designated Oct. 5 as World Teachers’ Day to honor educators worldwide for their role in guiding children and youth through learning.
“It is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education and also reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation, and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally,” Gonzales said.
In the Philippines, Congress enacted Republic Act No. 10743, declaring Oct. 5 of every year as National Teachers’ Day in solidarity with UNESCO’s observance.
Congress first introduced the World Teachers’ Day Incentive Benefit in 2019 through the General Appropriations Act, granting public school teachers a one-time P1,000 benefit released every Oct. 5 under Department of Education guidelines.
Funding for the incentive has since been included annually in the national budget.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
