Groups After Sona 2026: What’s The Plan For Teachers’ Salary?

MANILA, Philippines – Some groups criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for not presenting key measures to address certain issues in the education sector during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), particularly leaving out plans for a salary increase for teachers. 

Marcos delivered his longest SONA yet on Monday, July 27, but his remarks on teachers’ welfare and the education sector were not enough, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC).

The two teachers’ groups have different salary demands. The ACT is seeking P50,000 for entry-level teachers, while the TDC is pushing for a P15,000 increase across the board. 

They can only ask what would be Marcos’ moves regarding the issue with only two years left in power.

“May pagkilala lang ng karangalan at kadakilaan ng guro, pero more than that, ang kailangan ng guro ngayon ay dagdag sahod pati ‘yung panawagan namin ng pagtataas ng aming personnel economic relief allowance (PERA),” ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo told Rappler. 

(There was only recognition of the integrity and heroism of teachers, but more than that, teachers need a wage hike and an increase in our personnel economic relief allowance.)

While public school teachers and police have almost similar entry-level monthly salaries at over P30,000, Bernardo argued that the police’s subsistence allowance would push their take-home pay to nearly P50,000. Those holding the Nurse I position, meanwhile, have already been upgraded to Salary Grade 15 or around P42,000 monthly, and also receive allowances.

PERA refers to the P2,000 monthly allowance given to state employees.

TDC national chairperson Benjo Basas also said that boosting teachers’ pay and welfare would result in better work-life balance, as well as improved mental and physical health, that could boost productivity.

“Hindi siya maghihintay nung binabanggit ng President kanina [sa SONA] na mag-aagawan doon sa kakatiting na items for promotion,” Basas told Rappler. 

(Teachers would not wait and scramble for the few promotion opportunities that the President mentioned in his SONA.)

Marcos reported that over 80,000 teachers and school heads have already been promoted through the Expanded Career Progression System of the Department of Education (DepEd). There are nearly 900,000 teachers in the country.

The President also said the government continues to provide teachers with gadgets, such as smart TVs, laptops, tablets, and lapel microphones, as well as free mobile data.

Both the TDC and the ACT said many teachers have yet to receive laptops to help in their work. For Basas, Marcos should apologize as he promised in last year’s SONA that every teacher would receive one.

“It [says] a lot about credibility, accountability of the government. Kapag nagsabi ka, nangako ka, walang ligtas ‘yan, may resibo ‘yan, pero hindi mo na-deliver,” he said.

(It says a lot about credibility, accountability of the government. If you make a promise, there’s no escaping that because there are receipts, but you did not deliver on that promise.)

No mention of workload, ARAL Program

Bernardo also said Marcos failed to mention reduction of teachers’ administrative tasks, adding it remains unclear whether the responsibility to carry out the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program would still be theirs.

Under the 2026 budget, the ARAL Program was allocated nearly P9 billion. Of this amount, around P1.96 billion is earmarked for the hiring of external tutors, while over P1 billion will be for teaching overload pay.

During the ARAL Summer Program, there were only a few volunteer teachers for the tutoring sessions, resulting in some schools having no sessions for other grade levels.

In the current school year, teachers tapped to be ARAL tutors may have to squeeze in their sessions after classes or during the two-week end-of-term block.

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) was also hoping that Marcos’ SONA would include ways to improve the implementation of the ARAL Program and concrete reductions in teachers’ administrative workload.

For EDCOM 2, Marcos also missed tackling key education issues such as rising stunting rates and modernization of the charters of the DepEd, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The commission also awaited pronouncements on the President’s support for the immediate implementation of Republic Act No. 12199 or the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act; RA 11650 or the Inclusive Education Act; and the revised implementing rules and regulations of the Anti-Bullying Act.

What Marcos said

But two issues included in EDCOM 2’s checklist were cited in this year’s SONA, specifically progress in classroom construction and addressing violence and bullying in schools.

Marcos highlighted that the government is eyeing to build around 16,000 classrooms in 2026 through a public-private partnership modality to solve the country’s classroom backlog. 

He also paid tribute to the three students killed in the June 22 Tacloban City school shooting and called for the country to do more in protecting children against online influences and harms. (READ: Marcos touts AI upskilling, calls for online protections vs. violence, ‘fake news’)

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The President said there are mechanisms and processes in place to report and address incidents of bullying, with the DepEd coordinating with local government units to strengthen school safety.

He noted that the DepEd is set to hire 10,000 school counselor associates to expand access to mental health services.

Marcos also mentioned the rollout of the school-based feeding program and the Strengthened Senior High School Program.

The policy direction outlined in the SONA was “encouraging,” according to advocacy group Philippine Business for Education, but the “challenge now lies in implementation.”

“The issue has rarely been a lack of policies or plans, but ensuring that these are executed effectively and translated into better learning outcomes. This is where sustained focus and accountability will matter most,” the group said. 

In an interview ahead of the SONA, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said he expected the education sector to get a 2027 budget of over P1 trillion, or the same as in 2026. – Rappler.com