Manila: Public school teachers will receive higher salaries, a PHP10,000 annual teaching allowance, expanded career opportunities, and additional benefits under the proposed 2027 national expenditure, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Saturday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DBM highlighted that the Marcos administration is prioritizing teachers in its nearly PHP1-trillion allocation for the Department of Education (DepEd). Under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), DepEd is set to receive PHP975.96 billion, marking a 5.11 percent increase compared to the 2026 level. Of this net increase, PHP61.02 billion is allocated for higher Personnel Services funding, providing additional resources for teachers and other DepEd personnel.
DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert de Leon emphasized the significant role teachers play in the government workforce, making their welfare a primary focus of the proposed budget. He stated, "Kapag tiningnan natin ang plantilla ng gobyerno, karamihan d'yan ay ang ating public school teachers. At napakalaki ng inihanda natin para sa kanila na kasama sa 2027 budget."
Next year, teachers will benefit from the fourth tranche of the salary adjustment under Executive Order No. 64, which translates to an average increase of around five percent in the monthly compensation of government workers. For a Teacher I at Salary Grade 11, the monthly basic salary will increase from PHP31,705 in 2026 to PHP33,387 in 2027. Teachers in Salary Grades 11, 12, and 13 will particularly benefit from this adjustment as they represent a large portion of the government workforce.
In addition to basic pay, a proposal of PHP38.78 billion has been made for benefits under the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers and other personnel benefits. This includes PHP25.04 billion for the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance, PHP5.80 billion for the Special Hardship Allowance for teachers assigned to beneficiary areas, PHP648.10 million for teaching overload honoraria, and PHP7.30 billion for medical allowance of up to PHP7,000 for qualified civilian personnel.
Teachers will continue to receive their PHP10,000 annual Teaching Allowance, with PHP10.36 billion proposed to cover 1.036 million teaching and teaching-related positions nationwide. The government is also nearly doubling funding for the Expanded Career Progression program to PHP12.09 billion, supporting 135,063 position reclassifications, thus offering more teachers opportunities to advance in their careers.
De Leon noted that the program aims to address the long-standing challenge of teachers remaining in traditional Teacher I, II, and III positions for much of their careers. "Napakalinaw. Una, walang magre-retire na teacher as Teacher I," he said, indicating that the new budget will allow for significant promotions under the expanded career progression program.
An additional PHP3.02 billion is earmarked for the training of DepEd personnel, including PHP1.86 billion for in-service training and other learning and development interventions. The proposed budget also allocates PHP840.59 million for creating 2,135 additional positions, such as School Principal I, Project Development Officer I, and Administrative Officer II positions.
De Leon mentioned that the additional non-teaching personnel would help alleviate teachers' administrative workload, allowing them to focus more on instruction. He stated, "It's not just about teaching personnel, but also non-teaching personnel, given the need for school guidance counselors and counselor associates, as well as other non-teaching staff who can assist our teachers with administrative functions."
The DBM is also reviewing its internal processes to accelerate the release of salary-related funding and other benefits, provided agencies maintain updated personnel master lists. De Leon concluded, "Dahil sa direktiba ng ating Pangulo na talagang kapag benepisyo ng mamamayan, ng empleyado, ay hindi dapat nade-delay, we are also reviewing our internal process para lalo pang mas mapabilis."
