PBBM, VP laud country’s teachers

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday greeted the country’s educators as the country observed World Teacher’s Day.

“Happy World Teacher’s Day to our educators, to whom our nation owes an immeasurable debt,” the President said in a Facebook post.

Mr. Marcos vowed to secure the welfare of teachers and their families in recognition of their sacrifices in teaching the younger generation.

In an earlier statement, Mr. Marcos assured teachers that the government will continue to address the challenges that the education sector is facing.

On Sunday, President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte led the”Konsyerto sa Palasyo” in Malacañang to honor teachers across the country.

World Teacher’s Day is marked yearly on Oct. 5 to recognize teachers and educators worldwide as established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) and the International Labour Organization in 1994.

On the occasion, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said he would file an update of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act No. 4670).

“It has been 57 years since the law was passed, yet some of its provisions have not been fully realized,” Gatchalian said.

Among the new provisions that Gatchalian will introduce is the grant of a special hardship allowance to mobile teachers, including Alternative Learning System (ALS) teachers. Gatchalian also seeks to protect teachers from out-of-pocket expenses and non-teaching tasks.

There are also provisions for teachers’ basic rights and longevity pay.

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate committee on basic education, emphasized the need to ensure full implementation of the law aimed at improving the living and working conditions of public school teachers.

He said the provisions in the current Magna Carta for teachers that are not followed are Sections 22, 26, and 31.

Section 22 entitles public school teachers to a free annual physical examination.

While the Department of Education (DepEd) has provided some monetary medical assistance since 2019, there is still no program for the annual check-up of teachers as mandated by the Magna Carta.

Another concern is Section 26 of the law, which stipulates that a