Teachers slam Marcos for broken promises on disaster preparedness, education reforms
A classroom in Navotas Cit visited by the DepEd shows flooding inside and chairs in disarray.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) on Sunday accused the Marcos administration of failing to live up to its promise of mitigating the effects of floods, which have repeatedly forced class suspensions and disrupted the already-precarious public education system.
“Ang nasaksihan natin ilang araw pagkatapos ng SONA 2024 ay kabaligtaran, [What we witnessed just days after the 2024 SONA was the exact opposite],” said TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas.
“At nitong nakraang araw lamang, hindi naman kalakasan ang bagyo, pero matindi ang naging pagbaha. Napilitan tuloy ang mga lokal na pamahalaan at maging ang Malacañang na magsuspinde ng klase nang buong linggo. [And in these past few days, the storms weren’t even that strong, yet the flooding was so severe that local governments and even Malacañang had to suspend classes for the entire week].”
The outcry comes ahead of scheduled SONA protests, where calls for government to turn rhetoric into results will agin take center stage.
In his 2024 SONA, Marcos touted the completion of over 5,500 flood control projects nationwide and pledged further infrastructure investments through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The DPWH has seen a dramatic rise in funding for flood control over the years, from P45.9 billion in 2015 to P244.5 billion in 2024. This year, it earmarked P254.29 billion for flood management, making up 32.1 percent of its whopping P1.007 trillion budget for fiscal year 2025.
But like many have questioned where the money went, citing reports of worsening flooding even in elevated or mountainous areas.
Data from the Department of Education show that the seven-day suspension of classes disrupted learning in 24,563 public schools, forcing alternative learning modes such as continuing education in schools-turned evacuation centers.
Beyond the physical damage caused by floods, the TDC underscored the emotional and logistical toll on education workers, students and families. “Lagi na lang bang kami sa ibaba ang magdurusa at mag-iisip ng paraan, gayong nasa gobyerno ang pondo at kapangyarihan [Must it always be us at the bottom who suffer and come up with solutions, when the government holds the funds and the power]?” said Basas.
He added that the confusion between the Department of Education (DepEd) and local government units (LGUs) on class suspension protocols only worsened the situation, emphasizing the need for clearer and more strategic national guidance from authorities.
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With the President Marcos set to deliver his SONA today, the TDC reiterates grievances beyond disaster response and on longstanding calls for sweeping educational reforms. These include a substantial salary increase for public school teachers and the provision of books for all subjects and grade levels, from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
The group is also pushing for job security for private school teachers and laptops for every teacher to support digital learning. Basic infrastructure remains a concern, with the coalition demanding operational toilets and adequate water supply in all schools.The TDC is also advocating for reformed Government Service Insurance System policies and accessible legal aid for educators. Lastly, the group is urging the implementation of a simplified and fair system for performance evaluation and promotion.
“Ilan sa mga isyung ito ay nabanggit na at naipangako na rin noong mga nakaraang SONA, pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin natutugunan [Some of these are not new demands and some have been mentioned in past SONAs. But none have seen concrete implementation],” said Basas.
