More than 983,000 public school teachers employed by the Department of Education (DepEd) received their ₱1,000 World Teachers’ Day Incentive Benefit (WTDIB), according to Eastern Samar Lone District Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales.
“The ₱983.5 million funding for this year’s WTDIB is line-itemized in the 2026 General Appropriations Law, with a special provision to guarantee its timely release,” Gonzales said.
The legislator serves on the House committees on appropriations and on basic education and culture.
“We’ve filed a bill seeking to enhance the benefit.”
“We assure our teachers that this incentive will remain a priority every year. In fact, we’ve filed a bill seeking to enhance the benefit,” the lawmaker said.
Under existing law and DepEd guidelines, qualified public school teachers receive a P1,000 incentive every October 5 in observance of World Teachers’ Day.
World Teachers’ Day, celebrated every October 5 since 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), honors the vital role of teachers in shaping societies.
In the Philippines, Republic Act No. 10743 likewise declares October 5 as National Teachers’ Day in honor of the dedication and compassion of Filipino educators.
House Bill 4531 gives every public school teacher a ₱3,000 cash incentive instead of the current ₱1,000.
In May this year, the 66-member House committee on basic education and culture chaired by Pasig City Lone District Rep. Roman Romulo approved House Bill 4531, which seeks to triple the WTDIB, giving every public school teacher a ₱3,000 cash incentive instead of the current ₱1,000.
The bill would also make permanent the WTDIB that Congress first granted to public school teachers seven years ago through a simple line-item insertion in the General Appropriations Law of 2019.
Gonzales and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan authored the bill.
“The proposed higher benefit is not merely an incentive but a clear expression of our nation’s gratitude,” he said.
“Public school teachers are the backbone of our education system. They deserve recognition not just in words but through tangible support,” Gonzales concluded.
