The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the proposed Teaching Supplies Allowance Act, which seeks to raise the supplies allowance of public elementary and secondary teachers from the current P5,000 to P10,000. 

Lawmakers approved the measure contained within House Bill (HB) No. 9682, by virtue of 247 affirmative votes during the plenary session on Tuesday, Dec. 12. 

"This bill will raise teacher allowances and the teachers will receive this in full with no tax deductions," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Roman Romulo of the lone district of Pasig.

Rep. Romulo serves as chairperson of the Committee on Basic Education and Culture.

From the annual P5,000 allowance, it will increase to P7,500 for the School Year (SY) 2024-2025. 

In the succeeding school years, the annual allowance will be P10,000 per public school teacher under the primary education curriculum. 

In May, the Philippine Senate also approved its counterpart measure, Senate Bill (SB) No. 1964, or the “Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act”, which proposes the same amount of supplies allowance for teachers. 

Section 4 of HB No. 9682, says the allowance can be used to buy tangible or intangible teaching supplies and materials, pay incidental expenses, and implement or conduct various learning delivery modalities. 

Source: MB and Rep. Romulo FB page