Teachers call for P50,000 entry-level salary

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May 1, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines marched to Malacañang yesterday to submit a petition calling for a P50,000 entry-level salary for all teachers in public and private institutions.

ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo said the petition includes calls for a P36,000 basic pay for Salary Grade 1 employees and a P1,200 national minimum wage for all workers.

“The system continues to function not because it is adequately funded, but because teachers are forced to keep it running despite the neglect of its very own workforce through chronically low wages and salaries, dire working conditions and a lack of genuine support,” Bernardo said.

She added that teachers and education workers are bearing the brunt of a deepening economic crisis driven by global conflicts and rising oil prices.

According to Bernardo, nine out of 10 public school teachers earn below the family living wage, while private school teachers and personnel face even more precarious conditions due to low and fragmented compensation structures.

“In local universities and colleges, salaries depend on the income class of local government units. In private schools, wages are suppressed by the lack of a standard livable salary and state support. In state universities and colleges, entry-level pay remains far below what is needed for a decent life,” Bernardo said.