Teachers get P7.37B in incentives

THE Philippine government released an additional P7.37 billion to fully fund a one-time incentive for teachers and school staff as President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. looks to sustain reforms in education and public service delivery.

The Department of Budget and Management said the funds complete the remaining cash requirement for the 2025 Service Recognition Incentive, allowing the Department of Education (DepEd) to finish payments that had been rolled out in phases due to funding constraints.

The release was approved on Jan. 27 through a notice of cash allocation signed by Budget Secretary Rolando U. Toledo.

Of the total amount, P6.62 billion was allocated to the DepEd central office, while about P754 million will be disbursed directly to regional and division offices to speed up distribution to beneficiaries nationwide.

Mr. Marcos authorized the incentive in December through Administrative Order No. 40, which allows agencies to grant a one-time bonus of up to P20,000 to qualified government employees using savings from personnel services and operating expenses under the 2025 national budget. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana