A bill granting tax exemption for salaries of public school teachers has been filed in the House of Representatives.
Cagayan de Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez made the proposal under House Bill 9106 which provides that all salaries, wages, allowances, and benefits granted to public school teachers, including those in state colleges and universities, will be exempted from the withholding taxes.
Rodriguez said the bill will cover around 880,000 public school teachers in the country based on the records of the Department of Budget and Management.
“It is vital that the government attract the most competent and efficient teachers for the benefit of our students. To do this, the government must provide compensation and benefits, whether monetary or otherwise, commensurate to the work they perform and the contribution they make to society,” he said.
The entry level salary in the public education sector is Salary Grade 11 or P27,000 for Step 1. This salary grade pays up to P29,075 (Step 8), depending on its holder’s length of service.
There are several proposals in the House of Representatives to raise the hiring rate in public schools to Salary Grade 15 (P36,619, Step 1), or an increase of P9,619 from Salary Grade 11. SG 15 pays up to P39,367 (Step 8).
Under existing laws, all government personnel are entitled to a mid-year pay equivalent to a one-month salary and a yearend bonus, also equivalent to one-month salary, plus a P5,000 cash gift.
These are on top of their monthly compensation.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
