Gatchalian renews call to uphold teachers’ welfare amid COVID-19 threat

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday renewed his call for the government, including the Department of Education (DepEd), to uphold the welfare of teachers amid the continuing threat of COVID-19 to the education sector.

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate basic education committee, made the remark after five DepEd personnel in Isabela died from the disease recently.

“Habang patuloy ang pagtaas ng mga kaso ng COVID-19 sa bansa, lalong dapat paigtingin ng DepEd ang pag-aalaga sa ating mga gurong isinasakripisyo ang kanilang kaligtasan at kalusugan upang maipagpatuloy ng ating mga kabataan ang kanilang pag-aaral," the senator said in a statement.

(While COVID-19 cases continue to go up, the DepEd should intensity its efforts to take care of our teachers who sacrifice their health and safety in order for our children to continue their education.)

"Kailangang tiyakin sa ating mga guro na may agarang tulong na maipapaabot sa kanila kung sakaling sila ay magkasakit,” he added.

(We should ensure that our teachers will receive immediate help in the event that they got sick.)

Gatchalian said upholding teachers' welfare including strictly enforcing alternative work arrangements, assuring them access to COVID-19, treating those who would contract the virus, and prioritizing them in the government's vaccination program.

The DepEd last year assured its personnel that they are covered by PhilHealth insurance. The Employees’ Compensation Commission also offered the Employees’ Compensation (EC) Program, which provides income, medical, and other health benefits in the event of work-related sickness, injury, or death.

Still, teachers' groups have been calling on DepEd to extend financial help to personnel who catch COVID-19, claiming that teachers who were infected with the disease did not receive financial assistance from the government.

They also said that the financial assistance they receive comes from personal contributions or personal help from some government officials.

Apart from assistance, Gatchalian also reiterated his call for teachers to be moved up the COVID-19 vaccination priority list.

Currently, teachers are under B1 category, along with other social workers, but Gatchalian argued that they should be categorized under A4 with frontliner personnel in other essential sectors.

The School Division Office in Isabela earlier said that they have reached out to the families of the DepEd personnel who died from COVID-19 to provide them urgent assistance and facilitate the speedy release of benefits.

These infections, according to DepEd, were acquired through community transmission and not in their line of work. — Erwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News