BBM vows better opportunities for teachers

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday pledged to broaden career opportunities for public school teachers, saying promotions serve as a “doorway to a better life” by providing greater financial security and long-overdue recognition.

Marcos made the assurance during the mass oath-taking of teachers and school heads from Metro Manila under the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) program at the Makati Coliseum in Makati City, where he acknowledged the sacrifices educators make even beyond classroom hours.

The President said the government is moving to create more teaching positions, streamline paperwork, and ensure that no public school teacher retires at the entry-level rank of Teacher I.

“We will expand our educators’ career paths through strategic reclassification. By creating higher-level positions, senior educators can move up based on merit and open new entry positions to new graduates,” Marcos said.

“We hope to help you achieve greater financial stability and the much-deserved recognition for your very, very hard work. Beyond these benefits and changes, our commitment to creating a system that protects and empowers teachers remains steadfast,” he added.

Marcos reiterated his administration’s push for quality education, citing the allocation of more than ₱1.34 trillion to the sector, equivalent to 4 percent of the country’s economy.

He also pointed to the release of ₱7.3 billion in Service Recognition Incentives for teachers in 2025, the grant of a ₱10,000 teaching allowance for school year 2025–2026, and the issuance of guidelines for a ₱7,000 medical allowance.

“Batid ko po ang bigat ng inyong tungkulin. Kung minsan, pag-uwi ninyo sa gabi, imbes na magpahinga, nakatutok pa kayo sa paggawa ng lesson plan, pag-che-check ng mga papel at assignments. Kayo rin ang tumatayong pangalawang magulang ng ating mga estudyante at gumagabay sa ating kabataan,” Marcos said.

He urged teachers to continue shaping the next generation not only through academic instruction but also by instilling values such as integrity, responsibility, and love of country.

“Many of our country’s problems today cannot be remedied by laws or by policies alone. They require discipline, they require honesty, and compassion—values that, while first nurtured within the Filipino home, are further shaped and strengthened in our schools, by you, our teachers,” the President said.

“The government duly recognizes your efforts, and that’s why it has to be met with tangible support,” he added.

Guided by the Department of Education’s core principle of RISE—Resilience, Integrity, Service, and Excellence—a total of 2,915 promoted teachers and school heads took their oath before Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

The promotions were implemented through a fast-tracked process that combined appointments to natural vacancies and position reclassification under the ECP framework, allowing the Department of Education to address long-standing promotion backlogs across Metro Manila divisions.