The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to increase the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) of public school teachers.

In a statement Tuesday, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said she has instructed relevant bureaus of the DBM to study appropriate measures to swiftly implement the President’s order while taking into consideration the government’s fiscal limitations and responsibilities.

“I and the entire DBM family wholeheartedly welcome this directive from the President, as we, ourselves, fully recognize the profound role our teachers play as architects of our society’s future,” Pangandaman said.

On Monday, Marcos directed the DBM and the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide public school teachers a higher SRI this year in recognition of their sacrifices.

The administration is seeking to increase the SRI of an estimated 1,011,800 DepEd personnel from the current PHP18,000 to PHP20,000.

The SRI is a yearly financial incentive granted to government employees to recognize their commitment and dedication to quality and responsive public service.

According to Pangandaman, the SRI increase is a tribute to the contributions of teachers to nation-building.

“Ramdam and alam ko po ang hirap at sakripisyo ng ating mga guro na tumatayong pangalawang magulang sa ating mga kabataan (I feel and know the hard work and sacrifice of our teachers who stand as second parents to the youth),” the DBM chief said.

“Hindi tayo makakarating sa kinaroroonan natin ngayon kung wala ang pagsisikap at gabay ng ating mga guro na s’yang humubog sa ating karunungan simula pa noong tayo ay tumuntong sa paaralan (We would not have reached where we are today without the efforts and guidance of our teachers who shaped our wisdom since we entered school),” she added.

In a media interview in Pampanga on Tuesday, the President emphasized the importance of increasing the SRI for public school teachers, describing them as a “special category.”

“Teachers are [a] special category. So we have to handle that individually,” Marcos told reporters when asked to comment on teachers’ SRI. (PNA)