The Official Newsletter of ACT Teachers Party-List I 19ᵗʰ Congress I Issue No.

4 I March 2024
Some of the Accomplishments of Your True Voice in Congress in the
15ᵗʰ to 19ᵗʰ Congresses
(From June 2010 to Present)

F ree Tertiary Education. Rep. Antonio and Rep. France

Castro were co-authors of the Universal Access to
Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act 10931 enacted
on 3 August 2017), giving full tuition and other fees subsidy
for students in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local
universities and colleges, and state-run technical vocational
W orld Teachers’ Day Allowance. Rep. Castro
restored the World Teachers’ Day Allowance in the
2021 National Budget, which was cut in the proposed
budget of the Duterte Administration. It has been
regularly funded as a P1,000-allowance through the
annual GAAs starting 2020.

E
school.

H igher Cash Allowance. Through the efforts of Rep.

xpanded Maternity Leave. Rep Tinio and Rep. Castro
Tinio During budget deliberations and the lobbying of were authors of the Expanded Maternity Leave Act
ACT leaders and members, the annual chalk allowance (Republic Act 11210 enacted on 20 February 2019),
increased from P700 to P1,000 in 2012, to P1,500 in 2016, increasing the paid maternity leave to 105 days for
female workers with an option to extend for an additional
P2,500 in 2017, and P3,500 starting from 2018. This year, as
of March 2024, we are a signature away from passing an 30 days without pay, and granting an additional 15 days
increase from P5,000 to P10,000. for solo mothers.

I nternet Allowance for Public School Teachers. Rep.

France Castro demanded P1,500 monthly allowance for T
ax Exemption of 13ᵗʰ Month Pay and other Bonuses.
Rep. Tinio was principal author of Republic Act 10653
internet and communications expenses. Beginning 2022, the (enacted on February 12, 2015) which increased tax-
annual General Appropriations Acts authorized P1,000 per exempt bonuses, such as 13ᵗʰ month pay for employees in
teacher per year. the public and private sector from P30,000 to P82,000

F ree Medical Check-up for Public School Teachers.

Due to the longstanding campaign to fund the Magna
Carta for Public School Teachers provision for free medical
per year.

Regularization of Contractual and Volunteer

Teachers. Rep Tinio succeeded in introducing
check-up and treatment for public school teachers, a P500- provisions in the budget laws mandating the DepEd,
annual medical check-up per public school teacher was
starting 2012, to give priority to qualified contractual and
funded in the GAA for SY 2021-2022
volunteer teachers in the hiring of new teachers. Since

H igher Uniform/Clothing Allowance. Through

aggressive participation in the annual budget hearing,
then thousands of teachers nationwide, who have long
suffered low compensation and lack of job security, have
been given permanent items.

Rep. Tinio supported ACT’s campaign for higher clothing
allowance for all government employees from P4,000 to
P6,000. In 2012, and 2018, his efforts increased the UCA to
P5,000 and P6,000, respectively. Following the continuous
campaign in Congress for higher UCA by Rep. Castro, it will
be P7,000 beginning 2024.
C
reation of Items in State Universities and Colleges.
Through advocacy and lobbying during the 2016
budget deliberations, the SUCs were provided funding for
the creation of additional 9,000 positions. Thereafter,
Rep. Tinio urged the responsible agencies to fast-track

V oluntary Election Service for Teachers and

legally-Mandated Compensation Package for BEIs. Rep.
Tinio was the principal author of the Election Service Reform
the distribution of said items.

F ilipino Sign Language. Rep. Tinio and Rep. Castro

Act (Republic Act 10756 enacted on 8 April 2016), making
election service non-compulsory for public school teachers
and mandating a higher compensation package for poll
workers. The law also mandated periodic increase for poll
were the principal authors of the Filipino Sign Language
Act (Republic Act 11106 enacted on 11 November 2018).
They actively campaigned for the passage of this law in
the House of Representatives for the benefit of our
brothers and sisters in the deaf community.

F
workers’ benefits.

N
ilipino-American War Memorial Day. Reps. Tinio and
ational Teachers’ Day. Rep. Tinio was the principal Castro were principal authors of the Filipino-American
author of the National Teachers’ Day Act (Republic Act War Memorial Day Act (Republic Act 11304 enacted on 17
10743 enacted on 29 January 2016), officially declaring April 2019) commemorating the sacrifice and bravery the
October 5 of every year as a special working holiday. men and women who fought and died in defense of the
Filipino nation during the Philippine-American War.

I
mplementation of NBC 461 and the Revised
Organizational Structure and Staffing Standards for
SUCs. Rep. Castro, during the annual budget deliberations
pushed for the full implementation of the NBC 461 and the accreditation and registration guidelines in 2011 upon the
ROSSSS for the promotion of faculty personnel and urging of Rep. Tinio. Since then, the regional unions led by
employees of SUCs, respectively.
F
ormations of Unions of Public School Teachers. The
Public Sector Labor-Management Council issued the
ACT have been representing teachers toward negotiating
with DepEd for greater benefits and humane conditions
of work.
Accredited with approved CNA: NCR, Regions V, VI, AND
XI (ACT-NCR Union, the largest union representing
government employees, is the country’s first-ever
teachers Union to be accredited.)
Accredited with On-Going CNA Negotiation: Region VII
Pending Approval of CSC Accreditation: Region I
Registered: Regions II, III, IV-A, IV-B, VIII, X, XII CARAGA
and CAR
Facebook: OFFICE OF REP. FRANCE CASTRO
CONTACT US

Act Teachers Party-List Office Address: Rm. 511 South Wing,

House of Representatives, Batasan
Twitter:
Hills, Quezon City
@ACT_Teachers
Telefax: 02-8931-6193
Tiktok: act_teachers
02-89315001 Loc. 7289
Cellphone: 0908-884-8143 Email: rep.france.castro@gmail.com