THE Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) urged the Department of Education to immediately implement the P7,000 annual medical allowance for public school teachers.

In a letter addressed to Education Secretary Sonny Angara dated April 4, TDC national chairperson Benjo Basas expressed gratitude for the incentive, describing it as a landmark initiative for public teachers.

However the group emphasized the urgency of its disbursement, particularly now that teachers are required to undergo medical examinations before the end of the school year.

According to the group, the medical allowance is mandated by Executive Order No. 64 and detailed in Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Budget Circular 2024-6.

“With the school year nearing its conclusion, teachers are now required to undergo compulsory medical examinations. Given this urgent need, we respectfully seek an update on DepEd’s internal policy for implementing the budget circular,” Basas said in the letter.

The group noted that under current guidelines, the default mechanism for distributing the medical allowance is through a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).

However, the group raised concerns over the feasibility of enrolling all eligible teachers within the remaining months of the school year.

“Considering the time constraints and potential challenges in enrolling all eligible teachers within the remaining months, we appeal for an option to receive this benefit in cash. This would allow teachers to immediately address their medical needs without delay,” Basas added.

Despite this request, the TDC underscored that an HMO-based system would be the ideal long-term solution, as it would provide more comprehensive and sustainable healthcare support for DepEd employees.

The P7,000 medical allowance is a first-of-its-kind benefit for teachers and government employees and is seen as a partial fulfillment of the provisions under the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, which has been in place since 1966.

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Arlene Rivera