The Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) is looking back on 2025 as a year of significant triumphs for the teaching profession in the Philippines. The group's national chairman, Benjo Basas, declared the past year "fruitful and victorious" for teachers' advocacy. He is now rallying educators across the nation to transform 2026 into an even more decisive year by forging a stronger and more unified movement.
Key Advocacy Wins in 2025
According to the coalition, the successes of 2025 demonstrate a powerful truth: when teachers organize and persist, tangible reforms can be achieved. Benjo Basas emphasized that these victories were not gifts but were earned through collective action and sustained pressure on authorities.
The coalition listed several concrete gains secured last year. These included important refinements to the Expanded Career Progression Program and the restoration of the Performance-Based Bonus for educators. Teachers also saw the continued release of the Service Recognition Incentive and Productivity Enhancement Incentives.
Other major welfare improvements included the grant of a P7,000 medical allowance for state workers, enhanced benefits for teachers performing election duties, and clearer policies on Aral and teachers' working hours. A landmark achievement was the successful push for the reversion of the school calendar to the traditional June–March cycle, a change long sought by teachers and parents nationwide.
Well-Being and Voice Recognized
Perhaps the most widely felt reform was the nationwide implementation of a Health and Wellness Break for teachers during the mid-year break. This policy replaced what was often criticized as monotonous and counterproductive in-service training. The TDC hailed this as a long-overdue acknowledgment that teachers are human beings whose physical and mental health matters, institutionalizing rest as a right, not a privilege.
2025 also signaled a shift in how teachers' voices are heard in policy-making circles. The coalition noted greater recognition of teachers' perspectives within the Department of Education (DepEd) under Secretary Sonny Angara, and even in Congress. This growing influence is reflected in recent DepEd policies and in the higher budget allocation secured for the education sector in 2026.
The 2026 Agenda: Salary Hike and Beyond
Entering the new year, teachers carry a set of clear and urgent demands. Leading the agenda is a call for a substantial P15,000 across-the-board salary increase. The TDC states the message is unmistakable: a salary hike is the top priority for the teaching force.
The coalition's list of other critical demands includes:
- Automatic or longevity-based promotion schemes.
- Free hospitalization and comprehensive health coverage.
- More humane Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) policies.
- Tax-free bonuses and a significant reduction in administrative paperwork.
- Stronger legal protections for teachers in the line of duty.
Beyond personal welfare, the demands also address systemic educational needs: more classrooms, smaller class sizes, adequate learning materials, and basic school facilities. The Teachers' Dignity Coalition concludes that a united, organized, and vigilant teaching force is a formidable power that the government can no longer afford to ignore.
