THE BUDGET chief said the raising of teachers’ salaries would cost “a huge amount,” as the administration seeks to put infrastructure and social spending first, but this would still be considered after the succeeding tranches of government pay hikes lapse.

“That requires a huge amount. That’s 600,000 teachers. Salaries alone, it would cost half a trillion pesos (and) that involves the doubling of the salary of teachers,” Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said in a press briefing yesterday.

“That is not our priority at this time. Our priority is the Build, Build, Build and the social protection,” he added.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday said he wants to raise public schoolteachers’ salaries after he has signed a joint congressional resolution authorizing the increase in base pay of military and uniformed personnel.

Mr. Diokno said his department would still continue to study the proposal through an independent body.

“So I think we have to study that very carefully…So what I am planning to do is have a study done by a third party or private sectors to compare the salaries,” he said.

The Budget chief said there are still annual salary increases granted under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) until 2020, which also covers public schoolteachers.

“By the way, there is still two years to go for the SSL. There’s about 15%-16% increase in the salaries of teachers,” said Mr. Diokno.

“I would prefer we go through with it in the meantime,” he added.

Mr. Diokno also noted that salaries of public schoolteachers are about “twice more” than those in private schools.

He said the study would also include other salary classifications in the government.

Mr. Diokno, however, said he has yet to consult Mr. Duterte about the plan.

“What you don’t want to do is to see the entire budget as simply salaries because the government has other responsibilities. We don’t want the budget as simply salaries. I don’t think Filipino taxpayers will like that,” he said.

The administration plans to shell out P8.4 trillion in infrastructure and social spending to boost economic growth to 7%-8% starting this year until 2022. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

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