Salary Hike, Teachers’ Performance and the Educational System

Editors Note: The author, Educator Renita E. Laranang, succumbed to cancer on August 12, 2026. This previously unpublished article was written on December 12, 2018. She may be gone, but the concerns and struggles of Filipino teachers she wrote about remain relevant today. Published in honor of her life, legacy, and unwavering dedication to education.

Salary hike – this is a collective call from various protests conducted by teachers nationwide.

Many Filipinos find this irrelevant, with some saying that instead of conducting protests, teachers must focus on providing quality education for the youth. It must be noted, however, that in conducting these protests, teachers are still very much focused on their job.

Money, despite the financial needs of teachers, has never been a factor in the quality of their work. This can be reflected in the latest citation by Human Development and Education Experts from the World Bank in March 2018, where they recognized the improvement of the Philippine Educational System over the years. This, despite the low salaries received by teachers.

As teachers, we still value our calling and our commitment to the Filipino youth. We can never turn our backs on these young minds who hold the future of this country. Protests may have a negative image among some parents and our students, but this is one way of telling our government that there’s a need for reform or immediate action on the issues faced by Filipino teachers.

Since the implementation of the K-12 program, teachers’ duties and responsibilities have doubled. More workloads and presentations are being required. And even if we are being paid less compared to the work we do, we remain true to our oath. But this must not be tolerated. We also have rights to fight for.

In January of this year (2018), President Rodrigo Duterte promised to double the salaries of teachers, and even during the campaign period, a salary hike for teachers was one of his campaign promises. We must say that we also need this increase, especially as the prices of basic commodities and community services are continuously increasing. This salary hike that we are seeking is a right we fully deserve.

We are not calling on everyone to fight with us, but we also need your understanding. Our job is our priority, and that’s a fact that is never debatable. After all, great teachers do not emanate from the level of their salaries, but from passion and compassion. Rest assured that it will remain that way.