MANILA, Philippines—After promising the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines an incremental salary increase last week, President Rodrigo Duterte is at it again, this time, promising teachers that they too will have a wage increase.
“Ito, itong increase of salaries, ang sunod ko mga teachers,” he said in a statement during the situational briefing at Camp Guillermo Nakar in Lucena City on Thursday.
The President is yet to elaborate on where he would get the funds to double teachers’ wages.
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno had already said that the increase in military wages would be difficult to implement because of other pressing financial matters, not least of which is the huge debt of the government to the military pension fund.
“We will announce it when ready,” Diokno told GMA News Online in a text message.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella also does not know how Duterte plans to increase the salary of the soldiers.
“I don’t have the details for the first tranche. Although he did give the assurance that it will be fulfilled. Kaya lang talaga, this year is still the budget of last year so he cannot really impose upon it. But he did say that there will be incremental increase and I believe by next month,” he was quoted by GMA News.
Duterte has earlier expressed his understanding of the struggles of soldiers and other government workers before the South Luzon Command officers.
“I’ve been with government for so long. Ordinaryong tao lang ako ‘no. ‘Di masyadong… casual, casual lang tayo. Anak lang ako ng mahirap eh. So I know how it is to rise from the ranks,” he said.
Duterte’s late mom Soledad “Soling” Duterte used to be a public teacher.
