President honors teachers, vows more investments in PH education
All public school teachers in the country will receive their mandated P1,000 incentive as part of the double celebration of National and World Teachers’ Day.
In his speech in Pasay City on Monday, President Marcos said the P1,000 incentive, which has been in place since 2019, was “a little reminder that we recognize your efforts and your sacrifices, and they have not gone unrecognized.”
The President also vowed greater investments in the education system, in teachers and learners while ordering agencies to accelerate classroom-building efforts nationwide.
The P1,000 annual World Teacher’s Day incentive benefit has been implemented since 2019 and funded under the General Appropriations Act.
Guiding hands
A P955-million allocation is provided for this incentive for the more than 950,000 public school teachers under the 2025 national budget.
Addressing teachers, Mr. Marcos said: “We offer you our respect, our deepest gratitude for shaping minds, touching hearts, and in your way building a nation that we can be proud of one student at a time.”
“You are the guiding hands, and in your hands our nation’s progress is held. In your strength, in your wisdom, and in your courage, we find the assurance that our future is secure,” he added.
According to the President, “the true success of education lies not only in the intelligence of our youth but also in their goodness and moral conviction. For intelligence without integrity is meaningless, but goodness and wisdom—these will uphold our New Philippines.”
Increased funding
Mr. Marcos also described teaching as a “partnership—between teachers and learners, between generations, between those who dream and those who make dreams possible. And it is in this collaboration that the strength of our nation is built.”
The President cited some of his administration’s initiatives to support teachers, such as the signing of the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, which provides teachers P10,000 to help cover classroom needs, and the issuance of Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 005, which ensures fair teaching loads.
According to the President, the government has allocated P26.55 billion from canceled flood control funds to be added to the 2026 proposed budget of DepEd, originally pegged at P928.5 billion.
DepEd received the largest allocation among all agencies, representing 13.7 percent of the P6.793-trillion proposed national budget for 2026.
“These funds will be directed to increase funding for classrooms, child nutrition, teacher compensation, and technology in schools. Because we believe that education is the best investment that any nation can make in its people,” said Mr. Marcos.
Clear goal
Speaking at the Philippine Development Forum 2025 in Mandaluyong City, the President also called on government agencies to prioritize projects and initiatives related to education.
“The goal is clear: a Philippines where every child—regardless of background or circumstance—has access to quality, future-proof education,” he said.
For this, Mr. Marcos urged the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev), the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Finance, and all concerned government agencies to ensure that education is given adequate funding and support.
“To the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) and the DepEd: Speed up the planning and implementation process so we can meet our target of building and rehabilitating thousands of classrooms by 2028,” he said.
“And to the DepDev: accelerate the review of PPP proposals for school buildings,” he added.
The President further stressed, “No child should be forced to learn in makeshift spaces, and no teacher should be burdened by a system that does not support them.”
World Teachers’ Day, celebrated every Oct. 5 since 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, honors the vital role of teachers in shaping societies.
In the Philippines, Republic Act No. 10743 declared Oct. 5 as National Teachers’ Day.
