TDC Forum-Consultation, Matagumpay!

Matagumpay na naisagawa kanina ang Forum-Consultation on Educational Policies ng Teachers' Dignity Coalition sa DepEd-NCR Hall, Quezon City na dinaluhan ng mahigit 100 na mga Guro,  Punungguro at Personnel mula sa Region III, Region IV-A at National Capital Region o NCR.

Tinalakay ni TDC National Chair at Ating Guro Partylist First Nominee Benjo Basas sa forum-consultation ang papel ng Ating Guro Partylist sa mga guro, analysis ng 2016 National Budget, Updates sa TDC, mga nalalapit na gawain, at Salary Increase Proposal na hindi naipasa ng nakaraang taon habang si TDC Vice Chair for South Luzon Ramon Miranda naman sa Legislative agenda ng TDC / Ating Guro Partylist at kay TDC-NCR Chair at Head of National Organizing Committee Nono Enguerra naman ang paglalahad ng Consolidation of Activities ng grupo.

Nagbigay ng maikling tula (MAGTIIS KA!) si TDC-SINAG Head Jayson Cruz na nagpaigting ng damdamin ng mga dumalo habang inilahad naman ni TDC-NCR Prop Team Member Kristofer Canillas ang plano ng Caloocan sa darating na kampanya ng Ating Guro sa Caloocan.

Sa huli, nagbigay naman ng Pledge of Commitment sina Sir Richie Salubre ng Cavite, Sir Reynaldo Jerusalem ng Central Luzon at Maám Jennifer Cunanan para naman sa panig ng mga Principal. Si Maám Cristy Ensena ng Lucena ang nagbigay ng closing remarks habang si Sir Roger Benitez naman ng Central Luzon ang naging tagapagdaloy ng programa.

Umaasa naman si Benjo Basas na magiging matagumpay ang mga susunod pa nating laban.

Mabuhay ang TDC / Ating Guro Partylist!

TEACHERS DECRY ‘PASKO AT BAGONG TAONG TUYO’

Public school teachers experienced driest Christmas celebration in years as the Aquino government denied them of year-end incentives, the first time in over a decade. The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said many teachers were really dismayed because they were still hoping that the government would grant them some sort of year-end bonus which they traditionally receive before Christmas Day. 

“The last time that teachers and government employees did not receive a year-end bonus was in December 2004. However, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo granted two incentives amounting to P4,000 during the first half of the year 2005,” said Benjo Basas, TDC Chairperson. Basas is referring to the P3,000 Productivity Enhancement Pay in February and the P1,000 Educational Assistance in June of that year.

Basas also recalls that since year 2002 up to its last year-end in December 2009, the Arroyo administration has been consistently granting year-end incentives in varying amounts and names. The biggest was the performance bonus worth P10,000 starting 2007 up to 2009, when it was renamd Productivity Enhancement Incentive or PEI.

“That P10,000 bonus was retained by Aquino administration in the two succeeding years, but in year 2012, the DBM and Malacanang cut the PEI by half and gave only P5,000 year-end incentive for teachers and government employees.” Basas added. 

The group also said that government employees and teachers would have been appreciative if Malacanang grant them just and competitive salaries.

“More than a one-time incentive, we need a dignified compensation that would be commensurate to our role as public educators. Thus, for the longest time we were pushing for a P10,000 across-the-board increase for salaries of teachers,” Basas quips. “But what the government prepared as holiday present for us is the insulting salary package under salary standardization law (SSL) 2015 which is about to grant a P528.00 monthly increase in our salaries starting January 2016,” he continued.

Teachers have been telling Basas they are very dismayed because they waited for more than five years before the announcement of a salary increase from the Aquino administration. Yet, it would only provide for a very meager increase and worse, zero year-end incentives.

“This is how this administration treats us teachers. This is their holiday present. We hope that in 2016, things will become better and brighter for teachers and state workers under a new government.” Basas ended.

3RD TDC DEPED LEGAL PROCESS SEMINAR SA BAGUIO, MATAGUMPAY!

Matagumpay na naisagawa ang ikatlong DepEd Legal Process Seminar ng Teachers' Dignity Coalition sa Teachers' Camp, Baguio City nitong December 20-22, 2015.

Nilahukan ito ng mahigit isandaang deligadong mga guro at kabataan mula sa iba't ibang panig ng Luzon kabilang na ang Regiona I, Region II, Region III, Region IV-A, Region V, Cordillera Autonomous Region o CAR at National Capital Region o NCR.

Naging guest speakers sina Atty. Ariz Cawilan, Legal Officer, DepEd NCR na nagbigay kalinawan sa DepEd Administrative Rules, Magna Carta at iba pang special laws para sa kaguruan; Danielle Tan, LENTE, na nagbigay naman ng kaalaman ukol sa Public School teachers and Election Laws at optional duty ng mga guro sa halalan; at si Atty. Leland Lopez, TDC Consutant, na nagpaliwanag sa pagkakaiba ng administrative laws at criminal laws. 

Nagpaliwanag din si TDC National Chair at Ating Guro Partylist First Nominee Benjo Basas ng kaalaman ukol sa kasalukuyang isyu na kinakaharap ng mga guro ng bansa habang nakatuon naman ang paksa ni TDC Secretary-General Emmalyn Policarpio sa katawan ng TDC at house rules. Sinagot din nila ang mga katanungan na patuloy na umuusig sa kaisipan ng ating mga kaguruan.

Naging tagapagdaloy naman ng programa sina Kristofer Canillas ng TDC-NCR, Roger Benitez ng TDC-Central Luzon, at si Ating Guro Partylist Fifth Nominee Juanito Dona. Kasama ng TDC Staff ang mga Bagong Tatag na Kabataan ng TDC na siyang kakatawan sa national committee for youth.

Ayon kay Benjo Basas, malaking bagay ang mabigyang kaalaman ang ating mga kaguruan sa legal na proseso sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon at maging sa mga batas na susuporta sa kapakanan ng mga guro. Aniya, hindi lamang umano ito natuturuan ang mga guro sa kani-kanilang dibisyon kundi nabibigyan din nito ng pagkakataon na maiayos ang sistema ng pamahalaan lalo na ang education sector.

Malaki rin umano ang magiging papel ng kabataan sa grupo lalo na ang mga kumukuha ng education courses dahil ngayon pa lamang ay magiging malinaw na sa kanila ang sistema at papel nila para baguhin ang maling pamamalakad at nakagawian ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan.

Sa huli, umuwi ang mga dumalo ng may panibagong kaalaman at karanasan, kasiyahan, at pag-asang muling maranasan ang ganitong gawain.

Mabuhay ang TDC!