"Our primary call remains a salary increase since our GDP grew by four percent, so we are expecting that wages should also be increased."

By Reachelyn Esona

MANILA – On World Teachers’ Day, members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) held a protest near Malacañang Palace billed as “Pistang Protesta: Dagdag Sweldo, Hindi Dagdag Trabaho.”

Teachers from different public and private schools all over Metro Manila, as well as students and supporters marched Padre Noval Street corner España Boulevard toward Mendiola, October 5, 2026.

Carrying bunting flags and surrounded by ice cream carts, protesters called for a reduced and humane workload, allocation of six percent of GDP to education, P5,000 (approximately US$79.68) economic relief allowance and P50,000 (approximately US$796.81) entry-level salary for all teachers.

The current starting basic pay of a Teacher is pegged at P31,705 (approximately US$505.26) while the economic relief allowance is only P2,000 (approximately US$31.87)

Hogier Villarias, secretary general of Alliance of Concerned Teachers NCR, said that their call for salary hike is timely considering the increase in the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

“Our primary call remains a salary increase since our GDP grew by four percent, so we are expecting that wages should also be increased,” said Villarias, who joined the protest along with his fellow teachers from Andres Bonifacio Elementary School.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the GDP of the country grew by 4.4 percent in 2025.  However, progressive groups argued that economic growth is meaningless if it does not translate to higher wages and better working conditions.

Katrina Ortega, president of All UP Academic Employees Union Diliman, meanwhile, pointed out wrong priorities of the Marcos Jr. administration.

“We cannot accept that funds are diverted to confidential funds and flood control projects while we lack teachers and classrooms. The children suffer — they have no learning materials, and even basic school needs like water and comfort rooms are lacking. All of these affect the children,” Ortega stated.

In the proposed P7.2-trillion (approximately US$114.74 billion) national budget for 2027, P1.326 trillion (approximately US$21.13 billion) is allotted for the education sector — P975.96 billion (approximately US$15.56 billion) for the Department of Education and P176.5 billion (approximately US$2.81 billion) for higher education. This is around 1.41 percent lower than the P1.345 trillion (approximately US$21.43 billion) allocated in 2026.

The proposed P1.467 trillion (approximately US$23.38 billion) fund for the government-wide infrastructure program is still 10.6 percent higher than the budget proposed for education. Moreover, there is also a roughly 13.8 percent increase in infrastructure budget from the P1.29 trillion (approximately US$20.56 billion) allocated in 2026.

Infrastructure projects are vulnerable to political patronage, according to the People’s Budget Coalition (PBC). In fact, the coalition identified P970 billion (approximately US$15.46 billion) worth of potential ‘pork’ from the proposed 2027 budget as they observed patterns of alleged political influence particularly in flood-control projects.

Concerns over potential misuse and abuse of these funds fueled protesters’ calls for a different direction in government spending. Progressive groups are urging the administration to stop feeding political interests and instead pour more funds toward public welfare programs.

During the protest, former ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro amplified her condemnation of corruption and demand for greater funding for social services, including education.

“From the passage of the budget to its signing into law, the budget is full of corruption — this is what we are opposing. What we are demanding is funding for social services, education, housing, and others,” Castro said.

Protesters said their fight doesn’t end with the dispersal, pledging to carry the fight beyond the streets and continue pushing for urgent education reforms. (RVO)

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