The Provincial Board is backing a bill in the Senate which seeks to exempt public school teachers from paying income taxes.
Board Member Cesareo Benedito, author of the approved resolution supporting Senate Bill 241 by Senate President Tito Sotto III, said Tuesday that the exemption of public school teachers from paying income taxes will help improve their economic status, especially entry-level teachers who only receive a little higher than the minimum wage.
“The bill will recognize the inevitable fact that our teachers play a crucial and significant role in molding the future of the youth. This will also exempt public school teachers, particularly teachers I, II, and III from the payment of taxes,” he said.
Currently, the minimum salary received by a teacher is P20,754 under Salary Grade 11.
Otherwise known as the “Act Providing Tax Relief to Public School Teachers by Exempting them from Income Taxation”, the bill amends for the purpose Sections 22 and 24A of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
Benedito said the measure is a gift for the teachers’ unconditional love and sacrifice in molding the youth to be future leaders.
Under the law, holiday, overtime, night shift differential, and hazard pay received by Teachers I, II and III will not be taxable.
The bill is in consonance with the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers which is aimed at promoting and improving the social and economic status of public school teachers, their living and working conditions, their terms of employment and career prospects.
