The Alliance for Health Workers (AHW) and Alliance for Concerned Teachers (ACT) demanded a just increase in salaries and benefits for health workers, hospital employees, teachers, and staff. This follows the US-Marcos regime’s 15% salary increase for military and uniformed personnel (Philippine National Police, Coast Guard, Bureau of Correction, and Bureau of Fire Protection) and raise in subsistence allowance from ₱150 to ₱350.

“The President’s announcement has a clear motive. With the circulating destabilization issues, the administration is scrambling to secure the police’s loyalty while ignoring the long-standing call of teachers and staff for decent and livable wages,” ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo explained.

Teachers continue to endure hardships caused by the lack of classrooms, learning materials, delayed benefits, and workloads that exceed the limits of their official duties, the teachers’ group said. Meanwhile, government employees struggle with low pay and slow salary adjustments that offer no relief amid rising prices and increasing fees.

“Show some shame to the teachers and employees who continue to serve amid crises and disasters caused by your negligence. We demand salary increases for teachers to ₱50,000 for Teacher I and ₱36,000 for Salary Grade I. And since the subsistence allowance of police and soldiers has been raised, the Personnel Economic Allowance (PERA) of teachers and staff must also increase to ₱5,000,” Bernardo asserted.

Health workers echo the same call and grievance. According to AHW, health workers have suffered for decades from low wages, delayed or unpaid benefits, contractualization, inadequate staffing, and unsafe working conditions.

During pandemics, disasters, and public health emergencies, health workers stand at the frontlines, confronting dangerous conditions to fulfill their duties, long working hours due to staff shortages, and exposure to deadly diseases without receiving overtime pay, benefits, or adequate protection.

According to AHW, the Marcos regime’s salary increase for government employees in August 2024 remains insufficient and far below the demanded family living wage of ₱1,200 per day or ₱36,000 per month. Health workers and employees under Salary Grade 1 only received a ₱530 monthly or ₱24 daily increase (from ₱13,000 to ₱13,530). Meanwhile, Nurse 1 positions under Salary Grade 15 received only an ₱81.55 daily increase. The subsistence allowance for public health workers has also remained at ₱50 for decades.

The group emphasized that the government must fulfill its obligation to the people and ensure support for teachers, health workers, and government employees. This includes increasing their salaries and adjusting the subsistence allowance according to the rising cost of basic goods.

The groups demand reallocating confidential funds and the military’s pork barrel to education, health, and all essential public services.