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By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Partylist Representative Antonio Tinio called on the teachers of Apolinario Mabini Elementary School to join the growing numbers of teachers pushing for the passage of House Bill 2142, a bill seeking a legislated salary increase for teachers during the turn over of a new school building here where he was their guest on September 26.

Tinio shared that the enactment of House Bill 2142 calling for a legislated salary increase for teachers remains ACT’s priority. He explained that the bill seeks to legislate salary grade 15 for teacher 1 or new teachers. He said that this would mean that from the around P8,000 basic salary of teacher 1, they would be receiving P15,000 and the rest will follow should the bill be passed.

“But we can not do it alone. We need your help,” he stressed. He pointed out that teachers should urge the Aquino administration to prioritize a legislated salary increase. He added that wage hike is not a priority of the present Aquino administration that is why HB 2142 is not moving.

Tinio was in Baguio as the guest of honor to the turn over of a new two classroom building at the Mabini Elementary. The said building was built from ACT Partylist development funds.

Tinio reiterated that the money allocated for the construction of the new classrooms are from the people’s taxes. “The funds used is our money. We are just putting into proper use our taxes,” he said.

According to Mabini Elementary School Principal Leonard Dawaton, the building will now hold the two Grade 5 sections that has been sharing the school’s social hall. “The completion of the building is really a big help to addressing the need for additional classrooms,” he reiterated.

Dawaton disclosed that the school needs four more classrooms even with the turn over of the new building. He explained that there is still a need to decongest classes because at present the school has a 1:55 teacher pupil ratio as opposed to the international standard ratio of 1:40.

The principal added that decreasing the number of pupils in a class would also mean additional teachers.

According to Dawaton the school building project was approved in 2010 and the construction started in 2011 and was completed only this year. “The project started through the initiative of the past school administration. It was just completed during my term,” he said.

After the building turnover, Tinio also turned over Filipino dictionaries at the Baguio National High School (BCNHS) main campus. # nordis.net