Zamboanga Peninsula teachers demand salary hike from Marcos during SONA

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, 2024, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) in Region 9 staged symbolic protests across public schools in Zamboanga del Sur. The group is strongly demanding urgent reforms in the education sector, particularly a salary hike for teachers. Liza Idiang, ACT Region 9 representative, pointed out that low wages have been demoralizing teachers, leading to a decline in the quality of education. The SONA presented an opportunity to bring the difficult situation faced by teachers and the need for increased investment in education to the public's attention. Filipino teachers have long struggled with wages that do not match their living standards despite their dedicated work. This issue not only lowers teacher morale but also contributes to the difficulty in retaining talented individuals in the education field. While the Department of Education has announced initiatives to improve teachers' welfare, many on the ground report a lack of concrete progress. ACT is calling on the government to raise teachers' salaries to a livable wage and implement comprehensive reforms, including better teaching materials and improved educational facilities. This demand is a common issue in many parts of the Philippines and is a matter of national concern from the perspective of improving educational quality and investing in future generations. Especially in rural areas, teacher recruitment can be challenging, making salary improvement an urgent task. For the Marcos administration, strengthening support for the education sector will be a key policy issue in gaining public trust. Source: Inquirer NewsInfo