Threatened by a P30 billion cut, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto today called for the rechanneling of DepEd’s 2018 budget to “low hanging fruits” which can be used to increase a number of teacher’s allowances.

If these “benefit amelioration” items will be added to the income retained when bigger personal income tax exemptions will take effect, the result is a higher take-home pay for public elementary and high school teachers, Recto said.

“We can double the chalk allowance, increase the uniform allowance, implement so-called step increments so that teachers will move up the pay scale, and increase the operating fund of schools,” Recto said.

“On top of these, new tax exemption rates so that teachers will either pay zero tax or a smaller tax on their income,” he added.

“All of the above are doable, and are in the pipeline. They can take effect in 12 weeks, or by January 1. Kaunting push na lang,” Recto said.

Recto said the above are interim measures until a higher pay for teachers is legislated together with the rest of government workers.

Recto said the House of Representatives, citing DepEd’s slow use of funds, had cut nearly P30 billion from the agency’s building fund for 2018.

“My proposal is that instead of transferring this money to other agencies, why not retain it there but change the intended use, toward the easy to implement, like teacher’s allowances,” Recto said.