The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) has welcomed the Department of Education’s (DepEd) updated guidelines on the P7,000 medical allowance, which now give teachers the flexibility to choose their preferred mode of receipt.
According to TDC, the amendment, outlined in a memorandum dated August 20, was issued just a day after TDC leaders and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman communicated.
The guidelines have the option to select a method of receipt, including cash disbursement through payroll, in which teachers receive the allowance in cash and will submit proof of medical expenses afterward.
Caloocan City teacher and National Chairperson of the TDC, Benjo Basas, who led the group to initiate dialogues with government agencies, expressed appreciation for the Department of Education (DepEd) for listening to the teachers’ concerns, calling the amendment a positive step.
He emphasized that when teachers unite and speak up, the government is capable of responding favorably. However, he also stressed that the allowance must be released in a manner that genuinely benefits teachers, specifically, without delays, unnecessary conditions, or complications.
TDC shared that the group had previously raised concerns over the delays in releasing the allowance for the 2025 fiscal year, as only four months are left before the year ends.
They also raised concerns about the difficulties Schools Division Offices (SDOs) encounter in implementing the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) scheme through group availment, along with the potential rise of “fly-by-night” HMOs aiming to take advantage of the P7,000 allocation per employee.
Basas emphasized that “the Medical Allowance should benefit teachers, not serve as an opportunity for providers or intermediaries to exploit.”
Furthermore, Basas said that if the HMO arrangement continues, it must benefit teachers by providing broad access and coverage. Otherwise, he urged the government to improve PhilHealth to better serve government workers at no extra cost, emphasizing that public servants' health is the state’s responsibility.
