DepEd: P5,000 cash allowance to cover internet, communication expenses of teachers next school year

An official of the Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday, Feb. 26, confirmed that there will be a P5,000 cash allowance for teachers with teaching load for School Year (SY) 2021-2022.

DepEd Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla said that as approved in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2021, there is “Cash Allowance” of P5,000 per school year for teachers with teaching load next school year amounting to P4.37 billion.

The DepEd said this after Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said that budgetary support for teachers may insufficient to sustain the implementation of distance learning nationwide.

In an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel on Thursday, Feb. 25, Gatchalian said that the financial support “is not enough” – noting that there are 900,000 teachers and not all of them can afford to pay for internet connection.

Gatchalian, who also chairs the Senate basic education committee, said that while some funds are allocated in the “Bayanihan 2” as well as in the 2021 budget, “it’s not enough to sustain it.”

While it did not directly react to the Senator’s statement, DepEd explained that the P5,000 cash allowance will be inclusive of teaching aids and supplies, annual medical examination and internet cost.

The P5,000 cash allowance, Sevilla said, will be given on “annual or school year basis.”

In particular, Sevilla said that the appropriated P5,000 cash allowance shall cover the following for teachers or those with teaching load: the annual medical and physical examination expense; the internet and other communication expenses; and the purchase of teaching supplies and materials, both “tangible or intangible” for the implementation or conduct of various modes of learning delivery.

The P5,000 cash allowance, Sevilla explained, will be “directly given to teachers.”

Aside from this, Sevilla said that “there is additional” World Teachers’ Day incentive of P1,000 per teacher given not earlier than Oct. 5 of every year.

Meanwhile, Sevilla noted that there are also other allocations to help ensure that the implementation of distance learning will be sustained.

As a response to the challenges brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in the country, DepEd developed and is currently implementing the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).

Sevilla said that there are also allocations are intended for operation of BE-LCP such as the school Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) provided to “cover provision for minimum health standards” such as the purchase of face masks, face shields, alcohol, disinfectant, and others for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021.The regular fund amounts to P28 billion with an additional funding of P4 billion.

A total of P16.6 billion was also allocated for the provision for self-learning modules (SLMs) and P5.98 billion for the DepEd Computerization Program.

Sevilla said there was also an “added item for training” with an allocation of P1.8 billion for Human resource development.