Teachers’ group highlights growing brain drain as educators move abroad for better pay
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) has sounded the alarm on a potential brain drain as Filipino teachers increasingly seek employment opportunities overseas.
Data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration reveals that approximately 1,500 teachers have left the country each year over the past three years, according to a statement from the coalition.
TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas expressed concern that this number could rise in 2024, potentially leading to a shortage of teachers in the Philippines.
“The number might be even higher in 2024. This is alarming because we might eventually run out of teachers in the Philippines,” Basas warned.
Basas noted that in 2024 alone, he personally knows at least 10 teachers who have decided to move to the United States to teach, and many more are contemplating doing the same.
“This shows how widespread the issue is across schools [sic] divisions nationwide,” he added.
The TDC’s consultations with teachers revealed three main reasons behind their decision to leave: extremely low salaries, heavy workloads, and toxic working environments.
As an example, TDC cited Ronald George Folloso, who taught for 11 years in Caloocan City, and resigned last June. He has now begun his teaching career at a public school in Bamberg County, South Carolina.
He now earns a total of $62,000 or approximately P3.5 million annually, compared to the P730,000 he received in salaries and benefits as a Master Teacher 1 in the Philippines.
“Teachers here receive adequate support from their schools, in addition to receiving higher compensation that reflects the value of their profession. Everything is provided—laptops, learning resources, and interactive classrooms equipped with technology in an air-conditioned environment, with class sizes limited to 15-18 students,” Folloso said.
Basas emphasized that this alarming trend should be addressed by both the Department of Education and the legislature.
“In short, our government does not care enough for our teachers. The teaching profession is among the lowest paid in the government and has suffered from decades-long neglect in terms of benefits, opportunities, rights, and welfare,” he said.
