Shaping the Nation Through Education with Just Compensation

If there’s any profession critical to the nation’s future, it’s the Educator. So if there’s anyone who deserves a salary increase, it’s the teacher.

Imagine relying on them to spend several hours daily teaching and shaping our children - future entrepreneurs, leaders and citizens, yet many earn only ₱30,000 - ₱60,000 monthly gross (inclusive of benefits), with some starting at minimum wage. And when students fall short, it’s the teachers who are blamed - because they lack training, because they didn't prepare ahead for the lessons, because they didn't prepare enough. The expectations are high, but the reality is, there isn't enough support for them - not enough training, not enough financial support, not enough materials that they sometimes even have to make do with whatever there is. Sometimes they even have to shell out money from their own pockets just to complete their lessons.

It’s no surprise that many educators choose to work abroad, where they can earn three to eight times more. During the previous administration, the entry-level salary for police officers was doubled, leaving teachers far behind despite their demanding academic training and the vital role they play. While security is essential, it is education that empowers a society in the long term.

Teachers carry the immense responsibility of shaping young minds, yet their importance has been repeatedly overlooked in national priorities. Raising their pay is not just about compensation. It’s about dignity, recognition, and the future of education in this country.

Improving teacher salaries could boost morale and discourage many of them from leaving for foreign jobs. More importantly, it can help retain skilled teachers within local schools. Beyond this, we must honour the dedicated teachers who, for the love of teaching and commitment to their vocation, opted to stay, even walking for miles or travelling by boat to island communities in far-flung areas of provinces to educate children.

Though the bill to increase their starting pay has been formally filed, its progress hinges on passage through committees, plenary debates, and enactment of the law. Teachers and supporters will need to heighten pressure through lobbying, media outreach, and coalition-building. The national budget has to be aligned to accommodate the larger payroll. This means shifting priorities or generating new funds, hopefully not through more taxes that will burden the country’s citizens further, but by cutting the confidential funds that will certainly benefit all of us.

The revived proposal to set a ₱50,000 starting salary could not just help improve the teaching profession in the Philippines, but also restore and recognize the value teachers bring in educating and uplifting communities.