Absence of guidelines for teachers' overtime pay irks solon; DepEd vows action

ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro took the Department of Education (DepEd) to task for the absence of guidelines for releasing public schools teachers overtime pay months after it was discussed at the House of Representatives.

During the deliberation on the proposed P630.8 billion budget for fiscal year 2022, Castro asked for updates on the overtime pay for teachers working amid the pandemic.

DepEd Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral responded that the education agency has been coordinating with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) regarding the overtime pay, noting that guidelines will be released on this matter.

"We would like to affirm that the Department will be releasing guidelines on the grant of additional service credits to recognize the work that has been done by our teachers last school year," Cabral said.

Castro then questioned if until now, there is still no guideline for providing the overtime pay given that this issue was discussed by the Civil Service Commission and the DepEd three months ago.

"So wala pa po guidelines? Kasi tatlong buwan na po kami noong nag-usap, pwedeng makakuha po ng comment sa DBM? Kasi matagal na itong hinahantay ng teachers natin. Give justice naman sa ating mga kaguruan," Castro said.

(So, there's no guidelines yet? It's been three months since we've talked. Can we get the comment of the DBM? The teachers have been waiting for this. Let's give justice to our teachers.)

The DBM said there is no proposal yet from the DepEd on the overtime services of the teachers.

Castro expressed frustration over the matter as she accused the DepEd of fooling the teachers. She further demanded a clearer explanation from the agency.

"Well, malinaw na niloloko ng DepEd ang teachers dahil three months na po ito na kami ay nagdialogue with the CSC. At hanggang ngayon, wala pa silang paguusap... Panloloko 'to sa mga teachers," Castro said.

(It's clear that DepEd has been fooling our teachers because we've discussed this three months ago.)

DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan denied that DepEd is fooling the teachers. He explained that the overtime pay of teachers is based on their overload.

"While the Secretary did not want to even resort to that position, there is no such thing as nangloloko ang department of education, ito pong usapin ng overtime ng teachers ay hindi simpleng usapin na may karapatan ba na overtime dahil nakasaad po doon sa batas gaya ng sinabi ni Usec. Cabral ay itong usapin ng teaching overload ang basis for that additional payment," he said.

(This issue is not that simple. Giving overtime pay is based on the teaching overload of the teachers.)

Malaluan ensured that this matter would be revisited and resolved by the agency.

Apology

Castro later on apologized for her remark.

"Kung mali po ako sa term ko, I apologized madam chair, doon sa term. Nakita naman natin for three months, nakita naman natin na hindi ito nagconsult sa DBM," Castro said.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones she would not respond to the accusation of the progressive lawmaker as it will be "undignified" for the education agency.

"The latest outburst is just one in the very long list of names which have been hold on my head but I will not condescend as I said to join in that conversation because it is undignified for the Department of Education to engage in such kinds of interesting, exciting but at the same time, also reflex on the dignity of whover offering the particular language," Briones said.—LDF, GMA News