MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday said it was studying calls for a wage hike for teachers.

DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa noted that the agency alone "cannot really just unilaterally change or increases salaries," as teachers are covered by the salary standardization law.

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For now, the agency has tapped the services of third party experts to determine whether or not teachers' salaries were competitive "on their own without comparing them to other industries."

"At least may sagot tayo doon and then we are looking at the years to come, gusto rin nating makuha dito sa pine-prepare natin study from the experts kung kailangang magkaroon ng increases in the next few years, gusto naman natin malaman kung ano iyong tamang rate of increase considering the inflation rates also," Poa said in a Palace briefing.

"So, once the study is with us, we will at least be have evidence based comments kung ba nating itaas iyong salary o hindi," he added.

(We also want to know in this study what the rate of increase should be, considering the inflation rates. Once the study is with us, we will at least be have evidence based comments if we need to raise the salary or not.)

DELAYED SALARIES? PART OF THE PROCESS - POA

Meanwhile, some teachers have reportedly yet to receive their performance-based bonus in 2021, even after the release of some P950 million in funds for this.

Poa assured teachers they would get the bonus after the processing in "two to three weeks."

"Actually it’s not delay. It’s really the process, talagang may reconciliation yan because 2021 yung pinag-uusapan natin na bonus year, so we have to make sure na yung mga empleyadong tatanggap ay 2021," Poa said.

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"If you check the records now, hindi talaga magtutugma yan kasi, iba na yung pwedeng empleyado, yung bilang na empleyado, yung mga na-hire, yung mga umalis, so that's why there is reconciliation na nagaganap," he said.

(Reconciliation is necessary because we are talking about a bonus for 2021, that should go to those who rendered work in 2021. If you check the records now, they would no longer match because the number of employees may have changed, some were only hired recently, others have left, so that's why there is an ongoing reconciliation.)

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