BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

The Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Education have jointly announced the approval and forthcoming release of the 2023 Performance-Based Bonus for qualified teaching and non-teaching personnel.

The approval of the DepEd personnel bonus followed the endorsement of their eligibility by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Harmonization of National Gov’t Performance Monitoring, Information, and Reporting Systems (AO25 Task Force).

With the strong support of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., the AO25 Technical Working Group (TWG) endorsed DepEd’s eligibility appeal for the 2023 PBB in recognition of the vital role of teachers and education personnel in nation-building.

According to the DBM, the DepEd personnel met the eligibility criteria with a total score of 80 points in the assessment, making the department qualified for the highest PBB rate of 52% of the monthly basic salary.

This reportedly marks a significant improvement from the previous two years – 45.5% in 2021 and 48.75% in 2022.

A Teacher I with a monthly salary of ₱27,000 (salary grade 11) is expected to receive approximately ₱14,040 in PBB for FY 2023.

“The approval of the 2023 PBB for DepEd workforce reflects our shared commitment to recognize the hard work and vital contributions of our educators to national development,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

“With the strong support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we are ensuring that performance and dedication are rewarded accordingly,” she added.

The DBM will coordinate with DepEd for the issuance of Special Allotment Release Orders and Notices of Cash Allocation to facilitate the prompt disbursement of bonuses to qualified personnel. Regional and division offices will reportedly be notified once the funds are ready for release.

For his part, DepEd Sec. Sonny Angara expressed his appreciation to the DBM and the AO25 Task Force for acknowledging the efforts of the education sector.

“Our teachers and education personnel are the backbone of our nation’s future,” said Angara. “This bonus is a testament to their unwavering dedication. We thank our partners in government for their continued support in uplifting the teaching profession.”

The announcement comes as the country concludes the annual National Teachers’ Month, further emphasizing the administration’s thrust to strengthen teacher support systems.

In a separate Teachers’ Day message, Sec. Amenah reiterated the administration’s broader reforms aimed at improving teacher welfare:

“We’ve opened thousands of new teaching and non-teaching positions to ease your workload, doubled your teaching allowance, and created clearer, fairer career paths so that no teacher will retire as Teacher I,” stressed the DBM Secretary.

She added: “We have also provided every teacher with a medical allowance, because your health and well-being matter just as much as the lessons you teach.”

“These are only the first steps,” she said. “We promise to keep listening, keep finding ways to do more, give more, and keep fighting for an education system that truly cares for those who nurture our children.”

Both the DBM and DepEd have reaffirmed their joint commitment to fulfilling the directive of President Bongbong Marcos to enhance the dignity and welfare of teachers, recognizing them not only as educators, but as nation-builders. 

*All Photos from DepEd