A call is made to update the country’s nearly six-decades-old Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, citing that long-delayed reforms are needed to better protect the welfare and working conditions of educators nationwide.
The proposed overhaul of the law seeks to strengthen protections for nearly 900,000 public school teachers who continue to face heavy workloads and limited support in the education system.
Marking Labor Day, Senator Win Gatchalian emphasized that under Senate Bill No. 363 or the Revised Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, the measure aims to reinforce security of tenure, explicitly prohibit the assignment of non-teaching duties, and prevent teachers from shouldering work-related expenses out of their own pockets.
The proposal also seeks to improve workplace conditions by addressing issues such as understaffing, excessive workloads, and oversized classes, which have long been raised by the education sector.
In addition, the bill proposes the institutionalization of key benefits, including calamity leave and longevity pay, along with clearer guidelines on the granting of special hardship allowances for teachers assigned to difficult or high-risk conditions.
Gatchalian, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said the amendments are long overdue given that the original law was enacted nearly 60 years ago.
“Patuloy nating isinusulong ang pag-amyenda sa Magna Carta for Public School Teachers upang itaguyod ang kapakanan ng ating mga guro. Ilang dekada na ang lumipas mula noong naipasa ang batas na ito, panahon na upang tuparin natin ang mga pangako nito,” he said.