The average teacher in the Philippines is starting to get paid more. With the Salary Standardization Law of 2019, the national average public school teacher’s salary in 2021–2023 will be higher than their private-sector counterparts by around 65 to 87%.
The said increases as per RA 11466, are scheduled in four tranches — from the year 2020 until the year 2023. The increases will be per Salary Grade (SG) and step corresponding to the position.
Skeptics warned that the economic downturn caused by the pandemic could jeopardize the said increase. But DepEd assured that there is enough funding for the wage hike for teachers this year and until 2023.
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Public teachers’ salary in the Philippines
The salary increases of teachers in the Philippines starting 2020 until 2023 are shown in the following table:
| Position | Salary Grade | Basic Salary | First Tranche 2020 | Second Tranche 2021 | Third Tranche 2022 | Fourth Tranche 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher 1 | 11 | 20,754 | 22,316 | 23,877 | 25,439 | 27,000 |
| Teacher 2 | 12 | 22,938 | 24,495 | 26,052 | 27,608 | 29,165 |
| Teacher 3 | 13 | 25,232 | 26,754 | 28,276 | 29,798 | 31,320 |
| Master Teacher 1 | 18 | 40,637 | 42,662 | 43,681 | 45,203 | 46,725 |
| Master Teacher 2 | 19 | 45,269 | 47,530 | 48,313 | 49,835 | 51,357 |
| Master Teacher 3 | 20 | 51,115 | 53,537 | 54,251 | 55,799 | 57,347 |
| Master Teacher 4 | 21 | 57,805 | 60,296 | 60,901 | 62,449 | 63,997 |
Teacher 1 (Salary Grade 11)
This is an entry-level position. Teacher 1 is now getting P27,000 which is ~6% higher compared to last year. It’s important to take into consideration that teachers’ salary in the Philippines is generally lower for entry-level. But not a bad one.
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Teacher 2 (Salary Grade 12)
Starting this year, Teacher 2 (SG 12) will now get P29,165. That’s a ~5% increase from 2022 in which teachers in this rank get a P27,608 monthly salary.
Teacher 3 (Salary Grade 13)
The salary of teachers who hold the rank of Teacher III (SG 13) has been increased to P31,320 starting January 1, 2023. Again, a ~5% increase compared to 2022.
Master Teacher 1 (Salary Grade 18)
Master Teachers in the Philippines are those teachers who have met certain qualifications and standards set by the Department of Education.
Starting January 1, 2023, teachers who have the rank of Master Teacher I (SG18) will now enjoy a monthly pay of P46,725.
Master Teacher 2 (Salary Grade 19)
This year, the salary of Master Teacher II (SG 19) teachers was increased to P51,357 compared to P49,835 that they get in 2022.
Master Teacher 3 (Salary Grade 20)
In 2023, the salary of those who have the rank of Master Teacher III (SG 20) was increased to P57,347.
Master Teacher 4 (Salary Grade 21)
The salary of teachers who hold the Master Teacher IV (SG 21) rank was increased to P63,997 in 2023.
PH Teachers benefits and bonuses
Teaching comes with many of the additional benefits of most careers. Teachers’ compensation in the Philippines is more than their salary. It is a valuable total package that includes, salary, extra pay, benefits, and pension.
Teachers are also entitled to a uniform allowance, mid-year, and year-end bonus, cash gift, productivity enhancement incentive (PEI), an anniversary bonus, and performance bonus.
They are also entitled to sick days, paid leave, and other leave privileges (maternity, paternity, and study leave).
And of course, there’s summer vacation. But teachers make sure their time off is spent productively, including continuing education, volunteer work, and much more. Here’s the breakdown of the benefits for teachers in the Philippines:
Public teachers’ allowances, and incentives
| Benefits | Amount in Php |
|---|---|
| Clothing and uniform | 6,000 |
| Mid-year bonus | 1-month basic salary |
| Year-end bonus | 1-month basic salary |
| Cash gift | 5,000 |
| Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) | 5,000 |
| Anniversary bonus | 3,000 |
| Performance bonus | 50–65% of the basic monthly salary |
| Proportional Vacation Pay (PVP) | 70 days PVP during summer and Christmas break for those who have rendered full services during the school year |
| Chalk allowance | 3,500 |
Social Security
- GSIS
- Retirement and Life Insurance Premiums
- PhilHealth
- Employees Compensation Program
Bonuses and other benefits
- One step increment for every three (3) years of continuous satisfactory performance.
- One or two (2) step increments due to admirable performance using the Results-based Performance Management System (RPMS).
- Loyalty Cash Incentive depending on the number of years in service (starting on the 10th year amounting to Php 10,000.00 and Php 5,000.00 after every 5 years).
- Special Hardship allowance to teachers assigned in hardship posts (cannot be reached by regular means of transportation through hiking or banca/motorcycle rides), mobile teachers, and multi-grade teachers (15- 25% of basic salary).
- Honoraria for teaching overload subject to funds availability.
- Leave privileges (Maternity, paternity, study leave)
- Additional incentive/allowances from LGU (selected divisions)
- Vacation service credits (max of 15 days per year)
- For mobile teachers, Php 2,000 per month for transportation allowance
- For mobile teachers and DALCs, Php 5,000.00 per year for instructional materials
- In-service training
Final thoughts
Every decision around teachers’ compensation — and education expenditures as a whole — was focused on improving student achievement. Compensation investments too often are based on factors unrelated to student achievement. As a response, the Philippine government re-examined the compensation structures to better support and drive effective teaching.
