MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Teachers and school personnel took to the streets on Labor Day to demand higher salaries, adequate benefits, education reforms, and respect for union rights.
More than 500 teachers from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) participated in the protest held in Manila, holding a Flores de Mayo-themed protest dubbed “Protesta de Mayo.” The group urged the government to address the sub-human work conditions in schools, where teachers are forced to teach in cramped and hot classrooms, take on non-teaching duties, and are paid salaries below livable levels.
ACT Chairman Vladimer Quetua stated that the group is also pushing back against red-tagging and violations against union rights. Quetua noted that the delays in the collective negotiation agreement process and human rights violations against leaders and members are unacceptable.
“Our teachers can no longer endure the sub-human work conditions in our schools wherein we were forced to teach in cramped and hot classrooms, made to take on non-teaching duties, paid salaries below livable levels, and still obligated to spend on classrooms needs,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) chairman Vladimer Quetua said.
Simultaneously, teacher protest rallies were held in various cities across the country, including Baguio City, Rizal, Laguna, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Cebu City, and Davao City. The group urged the government to grant a much-needed salary increase, especially since the last tranche of benefits under the Salary Standardization Law V is set to end this year.
ACT Chairman Quetua stated that 2023 is a crucial year for teachers and that they will not allow Congress not to pass any law for a new round of salary increases because their current salary is below the living wage. – WhatALife!/Jayve
Also read: DOLE: Financial Aid, Not Wage Increase On Labor Day
Leave a Reply