TACLOBAN CITY — Public school teachers and school leaders now have a clearer path for promotion and professional advancement following the issuance of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of a law institutionalizing expanded career progression in the education sector.
Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre welcomed the IRR of Republic Act No. 12288, or the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act, saying the rules provide a more sustainable framework for educators to advance based on merit, competence, qualifications, and professional standards.
The law institutionalizes expanded career pathways in classroom teaching and school administration, giving teachers opportunities for professional growth and higher compensation without necessarily having to leave classroom teaching.
The reform builds on Executive Order No. 174, issued in 2022, which established the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System.
During the 19th Congress, Tingog helped advance the measure through House Bill No. 10270, principally authored by Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Acidre. The bill was later consolidated with Senate Bill No. 3000 and enacted as RA 12288, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law on Sept. 12, 2025.
“By institutionalizing career progression through legislation, we affirmed that supporting the professional growth of our teachers is a continuing responsibility of the State,” Acidre said.
Under the new system, the teaching career track has been expanded up to Master Teacher VI, while the school administration track extends to School Principal V.
Acidre said the issuance of the IRR marks the shift from legislation to actual implementation, as the rules lay down procedures for promotion and reclassification, transition arrangements for incumbent personnel, professional development, and the responsibilities of government agencies involved in the program.
He also welcomed the release of an additional P8.68 billion to the Department of Education for the continued implementation of the ECP System.
The funding will cover salary differentials for 93,344 public school personnel whose positions were reclassified, including reclassifications for fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
For 2027, the government has proposed P12.09 billion for the ECP System under the national budget. The proposed allocation would support 135,063 position reclassifications, further expanding opportunities for qualified teachers and school leaders.
“We have moved from policy, to legislation, and now to implementation. Ang hamon ngayon is to make sure that the opportunities we fought to put into law are translated into a system that our teachers can actually access and experience,” Acidre said.
He said the reform is particularly significant during National Teachers’ Month, when the country recognizes the contributions of educators.
Acidre said recognition of teachers should go beyond appreciation and include meaningful opportunities for professional growth and advancement within the teaching profession.
“Our teachers spend their lives helping young Filipinos see a future for themselves. We owe it to them to build a system where they, too, can look ahead and see a future in the profession they have chosen to serve,” he said.
(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)
