House approves P3,000 World Teachers’ Day Incentive

​Public school teachers across the country are one step closer to receiving a bigger bonus on their special day.

The House committee on basic education and culture has officially approved a proposal to increase the World Teachers’ Day Incentive Benefit (WTDIB) from P1,000 to P3,000.

In a statement released Tuesday, Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales confirmed that the panel, led by Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, greenlit the measure during its Monday meeting.

The approved recommendation integrates House Bill (HB) No. 4531, which Gonzales co-authored with Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan. The bill seeks to benefit more than 950,000 public school teachers nationwide and permanently institutionalize the incentive program.

“Increasing the WTDIB is not only about extending financial support,” Gonzales said. “It is also a meaningful recognition of the dedication, hard work, and sacrifices our educators make every day.”

If the bill successfully passes through Congress and is signed into law, the government will need to allocate at least P2.9\text{ billion} annually to fund the increased bonuses.
​DepEd Backs the Increase.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has expressed its support for the measure. Education Assistant Secretary Janir Datukan stated that institutionalizing the benefit directly aligns with state policies aimed at elevating the economic welfare of educators and strengthening their work incentives.

​Currently, DepEd hands out a P1,000 incentive to qualified public school teachers every October 5, the date designated by UNESCO as World Teachers’ Day.

The committee's approval comes amid growing momentum for teachers' welfare as schools prepare to reopen for School Year 2026–2027.

Just recently, Quezon City Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas urged lawmakers to pass a separate package of teacher welfare bills, while advocacy groups like the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) continue to push for a larger conversation regarding upgrading entry-level teacher salaries to P50,000.