New Teaching Allowance Framework Established for Public School Teachers

Angara, lawmakers sign IRR of ‘Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act’ According to the Department of Education, Secretary Sonny Angara, newly confirmed by the Senate’s Commission on Appointments, signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 11997, known as the “Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo” Act. This legislation, signed on Wednesday, is designed to provide a teaching allowance to public school teachers to help cover expenses for teaching supplies, incidental costs, and various learning delivery methods.

According to Philippines News Agency, The new allowances set by the IRR include PHP5,000 for the school year 2024-2025 and PHP10,000 for each following year. Angara, during a press briefing with Senate reporters, emphasized that the allowances could be distributed even without the IRR, citing the law’s provision that makes it executory upon enactment. The IRR specifies that the allowances for eligible DepEd public school teachers will be distributed no earlier than the official start of every school year, aligned with the annual official School Calendar.

The allowances will be available to guidance counselors, librarians, and vocational instructors among other teaching roles. However, those without teaching loads or on extended leave will not be eligible for this benefit. The funding for these allowances will be sourced from the DepEd budget and the General Appropriations Act.

The signing ceremony was attended by various senators and House representatives, who praised Angara’s prompt action in finalizing the IRR. Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., the principal author and sponsor of the law at the Senate, called the approval of the IRR the ‘culmination of the long process’ of finalizing the measure and highlighted it as a promising start to Angara’s administration of DepEd.