Monday, 16 May 2011 06:18
Reps. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City) and Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. (Party-list, Abante Mindanao) authored House Bill 3766 in a bid to reward teachers who risk life and limb just to be able to teach students in far-flung and isolated areas that do not even have proper classrooms.
"There are teachers in war-torn areas who are in constant danger of being killed or kidnapped," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said some teachers even deal with suicidal people who run amuck inside the classrooms.
"A recent example is public school teacher Lorna Pulalon, who died while trying to save her pupils from the murderous wrath of an ex-convict that ran amuck inside a Zamboanga City elementary school," Rodriguez said.
"Teaching is a passion and somebody must love to teach in order to do it well, and as such, teachers should be rewarded in any way possible," according to Rodriguez.
The measure seeks to provide P200,000 to the heirs or beneficiaries of public school teachers who are killed while in the performance of their duties.
The amount is in addition to the existing death benefits the teachers are entitled to under Republic Act 8291, otherwise known as the "The Government Service Insurance System Act of 1997" or any other applicable law.
The bill to be known as the "Heroic Teachers' Act" shall also provide full scholarships in public schools and colleges to minor children of public school teachers who are killed in line of duty
The Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations for the full implementation of the Act.
source: http://www.congress.gov.ph
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