President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara joined around 10,000 educators in a festive celebration for the culmination of National Teachers’ Month 2026, while highlighting the 10th anniversary of the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program.
The National Teachers’ Day event, which was also attended by several national and local government officials, gathered educators from across the National Capital Region and the rest of Luzon.
This capped a month-long series of activities across the country supported by private partner organizations and government agencies, focused on supporting teachers’ welfare, celebrating their achievements, and honoring their dedication. Key celebrations were held in Cagayan de Oro City for Mindanao educators and in Tacloban City for those in the Visayas, under the theme “Teacher, Ikaw Naman!”
In his address, President Marcos once again expressed deep gratitude to Filipino teachers for their vital role in shaping the nation’s youth and encouraged educators to continually seek opportunities for professional growth and skill development.
Secretary Angara emphasized that teacher welfare remains central to the Marcos administration’s agenda, attributing the country’s gains in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 to the dedication and hard work of Filipino teachers.
President Marcos also announced that he has ordered the fast-tracking of the release of the Fiscal Year 2024 Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) for qualified DepEd personnel, affirming the government’s continued recognition of their valuable contributions to basic education.
“Patuloy ang pagproseso nito at inatasan natin ang mga kinauukulang ahensya na tiyaking maayos at mapabilis ang proseso. At hindi tayo titigil doon. Patuloy natin hahanapan ng paraan kung paano pa mapapabuti ang suporta, benepisyo, at mga oportunidad para sa ating mga guro,” the President said.
“Kayo ang kasama ng ating mga anak sa kanilang paglaki. Kayo ang nagtuturo ng mga aralin. Ngunit kayo rin ang nagtuturo sa kanila ng disiplina, ng malasakit, at paniniwala sa kanilang sariling kakayahan. Sa inyong paggabay, naghahanda tayo ng isang henerasyon na handang mangarap, handang maglingkod at handang mamuno sa ating bayan,” the President emphasized.
Secretary Angara emphasized that teacher welfare remains central to the Marcos administration’s agenda, attributing the country’s gains in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 to the dedication and hard work of Filipino teachers.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos sa lahat ng kanyang inisyatiba at suporta para sa kapakanan ng ating mga guro. Basta kakayanin, ibibigay ng ating Pangulo,” Angara said. “Kaya ngayong pagdiriwang, sabi natin, ‘Teacher, Ikaw naman!’ Ang tagumpay ng ating mga mag-aaral, kabilang ang ating historic performance sa PISA 2025, ay hindi magiging posible kung wala ang sakripisyo, dedikasyon, at husay ng ating mga guro.”
A highlight of the program was the Recognition of Exemplary Teachers in Indigenous Peoples Education, honoring 16 educators who have served from eight years to as long as 30 years in remote IP communities. Beyond classroom instruction, the awardees have partnered with community elders and culture bearers to produce indigenized learning resources tailored to ancestral domains. The tribute formally launched the Department of Education’s (DepEd) 2026 IP Education Month, marking a decade of milestones in expanding basic education in IP communities.
In a show of support for teacher welfare, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso turned over a PHP1 million ceremonial check to DepEd.
In his address, President Marcos once again expressed deep gratitude to Filipino teachers for their vital role in shaping the nation’s youth and encouraged educators to continually seek opportunities for professional growth and skill development.
Educators were entertained by performances from top celebrities, including Piolo Pascual, Aegis, Ariel Rivera, Pops Fernandez, Jona, Michael Pangilinan, Donny Pangilinan, Raymond Lauchengco, and Alex Calleja. Corporate partners, including China Bank Savings, Metrobank, Banco De Oro, EastWest Bank, Nestlé, Jollibee, Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, McDonald’s, and PLDT-Smart Foundation sponsored major raffle prizes, including brand-new vehicles.
The event provided a platform for DepEd to highlight major welfare and administrative reforms aimed at easing teacher workloads and enhancing benefits. To reduce administrative strain, DepEd slashed mandatory school forms from the previous 174 to just five regular forms. Benefits were also expanded, including doubling the annual non-taxable Teaching Allowance to PHP10,000, establishing an annual medical subsidy of up to PHP7,000, and introducing five days of paid annual wellness leave.
The PHP1,000 World Teachers’ Day Incentive Benefit will be released to public school teachers starting October 5.
To support career advancement without forcing teachers out of classroom roles, 82,105 teachers and school heads have been promoted to date under the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System, with an additional 135,000 targeted for promotion under the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget.
To ensure educators can focus on instruction, DepEd created thousands of support roles for FY 2026, including 10,000 School Counselor Associate positions, 6,000 School Principal items, 11,268 Administrative Officer II roles, and 5,000 Project Development Officer I positions to handle non-teaching administrative duties.
