Teachers demand a memorandum from DepEd on promised higher Clothing Allowance for public school teachers
27 February 2012
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The Clothing Allowance is an annual allotment given to government employees, including public school teachers, for the purchase of the official uniforms required by their respective agencies. It is usually released in the first quarter of the year. ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio called on the Department of Education to grant a P1,000 increase in the Clothing Allowance of public school teachers and other employees of the department.
In a letter to DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro, Tinio pointed out that the General Appropriations Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10155) authorizes government agencies to use their budget to provide their employees with a “uniform or clothing allowance” of not more than P5,000 each per annum. “This is one thousand pesos more than in previous years,”he noted.
“The increase in our clothing allowance is much needed, given the general increase in the cost of goods and services these days, Ms France Castro, Secretary-general of Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said.
In a recent dialogue led by ACT with officials of DepEd -National Office, they assured public school teachers that the P1,000 increase in clothing allowance will be granted. He clarified further that, teachers will initially receive the original P4,000 allotment. The increase of P1,000 will be given during the next school year (2012-2013). They will also prepare a formal announcement regarding this matter though a memorandum.
“The verbal assurance is a welcome note, but DepEd must issue the memorandum ASAP,” Ms France Castro pointed out. Secretary Luistro and his team can come up with the necessary funds from their appropriations as well as from savings. Our teachers and non-teaching personnel deserve a higher Clothing Allowance no less than the employees in other government agencies.”
