As I watched a public school teacher from Napsan preparing alongside a teacher from our own parochial school for this year’s City Meet Athletic Competition, I was reminded of how deeply united our educational community is. This simple scene of teachers from two different systems standing on the same field reflects a greater truth: our commitment to the formation of the young transcends institutional boundaries. In the City Meet, as in education itself, we discover that what binds us together is far stronger than what sets us apart. Though public and private schools differ in structure, our mission remains the same. We all labor to shape young people who embody discipline, integrity, and a spirit of healthy competition.
Conversely, seeing the same two teachers—both close to me, as one is my collaborator in our parish and the other a long-time employee in our parochial school—I was also reminded of the city ordinance that would grant additional allowances to our public school educators, to the tune of ₱2,000.00 monthly. To say the least, this kind of support is a rightful acknowledgment of their service. Public school teachers—long burdened with overcrowded classrooms, mountains of paperwork, and insufficient compensation—deserve society’s gratitude and support.
At the back of my mind, though, the circumstance inevitably creates moments of quiet heaviness for many private school teachers who offer the same devotion but receive far less. Assuredly, such feelings do not come from envy but from a longing for fairness and recognition. As both kinds of teachers stood on the same field, I was moved to reflect on how our community might strive to honor every educator with greater justice, understanding, and gratitude. In fact, a subdued concern has surfaced among private school teachers who, while sharing the same vocation of forming the minds and hearts of the young, have been left out. As one said, “Pareho naman kaming guro. Pareho kaming naghuhubog ng kabataan. Pero bakit parang hindi kami kabilang?” Such an intimation highlights that teacher welfare is not merely theoretical; it is deeply human and moral.
Is the disparity merely a policy decision, or does it raise a deeper moral question? Is it morally fair to exclude private school teachers who perform the same formative labor?
Pondering this difference in allowances, I am reminded of St. Thomas Aquinas’ teaching that justice means giving each person what is due to them. While the city’s support for public school teachers is commendable, Aquinas would also invite us to consider whether private school teachers are receiving the recognition they deserve. In this light, the issue is no longer about comparison but about ensuring that fairness embraces all who serve the good of our children.
Known as the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas distinguishes legal justice, which concerns the common good, from distributive justice, which deals with the equitable allocation of benefits. Under distributive justice, goods are distributed according to “proportion”—but that proportion must be grounded in morally relevant criteria (ST, II-II, Q. 61). If the criterion is simply “public employment,” the ordinance is coherent. But if the criterion is the value of educational labor, then excluding private school teachers—who form part of the same educational ecosystem—may lack the fullness of justice.
When private school teachers feel undervalued, the consequence is not only personal dissatisfaction; it affects the stability of private education, which has long been a pillar of Philippine society. Many private schools—especially smaller ones—are struggling to survive in the post-pandemic era. To disregard their teachers is to weaken an entire sector that complements and supports the mission of public education. In this sense, the common good is harmed, as such a policy inadvertently fosters disparity or demoralization.
Culturally, Filipinos hold educators in high esteem regardless of the institution they serve. We honor teachers on World Teachers’ Day, not “public teachers’ day” or “private teachers’ day.” When we remember our favorite teachers, we rarely distinguish whether they came from the public or private sector. What matters is the impact they had on our moral and intellectual formation.
Do not get this wrong. What is right and good here is not an argument against supporting public teachers. Their need is real, and their service is invaluable. But in the spirit of kapwa, we must be guided by justice and charity. Kapwa expresses a profound moral intuition: the good of one is tied to the good of all. Kapwa-guro then is more than sharing the same profession. It is sharing a vocation, common sacrifices, and unified aspirations for the youth. Hence, a policy that recognizes only one group fractures this beautiful Filipino value.
In the final analysis, justice in the Thomistic sense and justice in the Filipino psyche converge on one insight: the flourishing of the nation requires the equitable recognition of all who labor to form the minds and hearts of its youth. To strengthen the nation’s future, we must strengthen all who shape that future. No one should be left outside the circle of concern. In other words, sana all.
Disclosure: The author is a private school administrator and a member of UPS in the City DepEd. UPS stands for Unified Private Schools.
