Rep. Antonio Tinio of the ACT Teachers Party-list has filed House Bill 8968 and House Bill 8969, which propose a minimum monthly salary of P50,000 for all teachers in private schools and state universities and colleges (SUCs). The bills assert that teachers deserve a decent and dignified basic salary, and that P50,000 should be the floor, not the ceiling.
Ending the Culture of Poverty Pay
For years, teachers in both private and public institutions have been told to accept poverty pay as normal. Tinio emphasized that a salary that cannot sustain a decent life should never be considered acceptable. The proposed measures send a clear message: teachers have the right to a livable income, with P50,000 as the minimum.
Building on Previous Efforts
These bills build upon the momentum established on the first day of the 20th Congress, when Tinio filed a landmark proposal to raise the entry-level salary of public school teachers to P50,000. By expanding this call to the private sector and higher education, the aim is to create a unified, livable standard for all Filipino educators.
Addressing the Undervaluation of Private School Teachers
HB 8968 seeks to correct the severe undervaluation of private school teachers, especially outside the National Capital Region. Many remain underpaid despite being licensed professionals. Tinio noted that private school teachers are often cited as an excuse to suppress public school teacher wages, yet they themselves are underpaid and exploited. Raising their minimum salary to P50,000 is both a justice issue and a quality education issue.
Tinio stressed that a teacher's right to fair wages should not depend on tuition hikes. It is the obligation of private schools as employers to provide decent pay, not to pass the burden onto parents and students.
Correcting Salary Gaps in Higher Education
HB 8969 addresses persistent salary gaps and the inability of public higher education institutions to attract and retain qualified instructors and professors. An entry-level Instructor I in a public higher education institution currently receives around P33,947 per month, which is not commensurate with the work of educating the youth. The bill proposes a P50,000 minimum salary with corresponding adjustments for higher ranks.
Call for Immediate Action
Tinio called on the House leadership to immediately refer the bills to appropriate committees and fast-track hearings with teachers' unions and education stakeholders. He emphasized that while education is constantly praised in speeches, teachers are shortchanged in budgets and pay structures. The proposed standards are clear and doable, and now Congress must act.
