Teachers Group demands payment for teachers’ extended work beyond June 24 (Read full Press Statement)

15 July 2022

Press Statement

ACT demands payment for teachers’ extended work beyond June 24 

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines today reiterated the demand of teachers for the government to compensate them for up to three weeks of extended work for this school year. 

"Based on the Department of Education (DepEd) calendar itself the last day of the school year was June 24, 2022, and it should be the start of the 2-month school break because the new school year would start on August 22, 2022," said Vladimer Quetua, Chairperson of ACT Philippines.

"DepEd should recompense all teachers from all over the country for at least one week of extended work as all were required to report for work from June 27 to July 1. It seems that the Deped calendar cheated the teachers of their workdays by deviating from the old system that the week allotted for recognition and graduation ceremonies were included in the number of school days," he added.

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"Ngayong school year lamang nangyari na inilabas sa school days ang graduation week kung saan June 24 ang last school day at June 27 to July 1 ang grad week na nagresulta ng 1 linggong extension sa trabaho ng lahat ng guro sa buong bansa," said the progressive teacher. 

"Mas malala pa, napakaraming mga syudad at probinsya ang nag-extend pa ng karagdagang 1 o 2 linggo ng pagpapatrabaho sa mga guro. Sa Region IV-A, Region VII ay class days pa ang June 27-July 2 at ang graduation week ay July 4-8. Mas malala sa Region III at Region XI na July 11-15 pa ang graduation week kung kaya tatlong linggo nang nag-oovertime ang mga guro," added Quetua.

"Matinding eksploytasyon sa mga guro ang extended work days dahil ipinagkakait nito ang natatanging leave benefits ng mga guro na 2-buwan na proportional vacation pay (PVP) sa loob ng isang taon. Kaiba sa lahat ng mga nagtatrabaho, hindi nagtatamasa ang mga guro ng 15-days sick leave at 15-days vacation leave. Bawal silang mag-absent sa buong school year at kung lumiban ay awtomatiko ang salary deduction. Ang 2 buwan na school break lamang ang tanging pahinga nila para makapaghanda rin sa susunod na pasukan pero ninanakaw pa ito ng gobyerno," opined the concerned educator.

"It is only right to give teachers additional compensation for their extended work days. Teachers should have been under paid leave during this time and should have been given an additional daily rate plus 25%, based on the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers and other orders. If the DepEd does not have funds then teachers should be given service credit of 1.25 days for every day of extended work. They are entitled to service credits of 6.25 to 18.75 days from 1 up to 3 weeks of excess work. Consequently, the Deped order limiting the grant of service credits to teachers to just up to 15 days per year should be scrapped," he said.

"Kahit tapos na ang mga graduation, sa katunayan ay tuloy pa rin ang trabaho ng mga guro ngayon sa bahay man o paaralan dahil sa napakaraming paperworks na ipinagagawa ng DepEd ngayong bakasyon gaya ng Learning Delivery Modules (LDM) at Individual Performance Commitment and Review Form (IPCRF) para sa Results-based Performance Management System (RPMS). Panawagan namin na ipatigil na ng DepEd ang labis na pagpapatrabaho sa mga guro at ibasura ang LDM at RPMS na mabibigat na paperworks na wala namang tunay na tulong sa pagpapahusay ng education delivery sa bansa," ended Quetua.#

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