“Critique Paper”

Duterte: Teachers to get salary increase in new Salary Standardization Law

Jeth Nico T. Morado
July 29, 2019
Grade-12 Plato
Ma. Dorothy Dalanon

The 2019 State of the Nation address (SONA) was led by President Rodrigo Duterte pass
a new Salary Standardization Law will raise the pay for government workers, including public
teachers. The Law give benefits to the government workers and public teachers to sustain their
daily needs. The article was published on July 22, 2019 by Janella Paris who is a working staff in
Rappler.

SONA 2019 was broadcast all around the Philippines which the author used her observing
methods to write her article which focus only in new SSL. The author tells about the salary hike
on teachers that will undergo in this law as one the Duterte’s campaign promises, “To the teachers
who toil and work tirelessly to educate our young, kasali na po dito ‘yung hinihingi niyo… hindi
masyadong Malaki pero it will tide you over,” President said in his speech. The author also
mentioned about the Senators who wants the teachers to increase their wages to help their
struggles, but Education Secretary Leonor Briones claimed that the law maker shouldn’t think
alone about the teachers in increasing the salary instead there are other government personnel
needs also an increase in salary.
"'A little bit bigger' is very far from the doubled salaries he gave to uniformed personnel.
'A little bit bigger' will not be enough for a decent living wage for teachers that shoulder the
shortages in school facilities and materials," Rep. France Castro said. Government employees,
including public school teachers, should demand for an adequate salary increase that will give their
families decent lives and will bring dignity to their profession. "If President Duterte will only
increase the salaries of teachers and other government employees 'a little bit bigger' compared to
how much E0 201 increased, then teachers will not expect much since prices of basic goods
continue to rise due to the TRAIN law," she added. The message from the Rep. France Castro is
the scene that depicts discrepancy. The author didn’t emphasize about the salary system of SSL
from her article and she also didn’t specifically stated who are the other government workers will
get raised from this new salary system. In terms of being a new writer, the author published her
article with less assumption which she delivers her article clearly and precise. The article was focus
on a new salary system that aims to raise the salary of public teacher which can contribute more
earnings to them. The issues and problems of this new SSL is that it only benefits the teachers but
not the other government employees and the increase required big budget annually. The Statistics
of increasing wages on teachers shows that the President Rodrigo wants to double increase the
basic salary of public teachers which proves that the new SSL favors on education. The mentioned
senators in the article also shows their support in the new SSL by filling a bill on additional
compensation in their new high income but not all the people mentioned in the article supports the
new SSL, the author states also cited people who didn’t shows support in the new SSL in her
article.

New Salary Standardization Law which implemented by President Rodrigo Duterte shows
that how care the president in terms of education itself even though it has a serious flaw. The author
is commendable for delivering her article unbiased which gives concerned to the readers to make
wise decision in making up their opinions. Hoping this article will give means to people especially
for teachers to be motivated and continually plays a critical role in shaping the hearts and minds
of our youth.