The call to raise the entry level salaries of teachers is not unreasonable given the higher cost of basic commodities, said Raymond Basilio, secretary general of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT).

“Nakakabahala na 'yung ating mga teachers, nabubuhay na lang sa pagre-renew ng mga utang,” he said

“P50,000 is not that much with the recent increases sa mga suweldo, basic commodities,” he said.

Last year, ACT pushed for a similar increment in teachers’ salaries.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s executive order no. 64 adjusted the salaries of all government workers, including public school teachers, but that only gave an increase of P50 a day, said ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua.

Shortly after being named as the new head of the Department of Education (DepEd) in mid-2024, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said that while a P50,000 salary for teachers may only be “doable” if the Philippines’ fiscal conditions improve, he vowed to push for a salary hike for educators under the Marcos Jr. administration.