05/10/2026
PRESS RELEASE
Rep. Antonio Tinio
ACT Teachers PL
October 5, 2026
Tinio condemns violent police dispersal of teachers' protest on eve of World Teachers' Day: "Ni hindi nila ginalang ang mga g**ong nananawagan lang ng mas mataas na sahod at benepisyo"
ACT Teachers Representative and Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio strongly condemned the violent dispersal by police personnel of a peaceful protest staged by teachers and education workers near Malacañang yesterday, October 4, on the eve of World Teachers' Day. The protesters were demanding long-overdue economic relief, including a ₱50,000 entry-level salary for teachers, a ₱5,000 increase in Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA), and a higher national education budget.
According to reports from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, the violent dispersal left 16 teachers and students injured. Personal property of five individuals were destroyed, and two megaphones were forcibly seized and broken by police.
"Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang karahasang ginawa ng pulisya laban sa mga g**ong mapayapa na nananawagan sa dagdag na sahod at benepisyo. Ni hindi nila ginalang ang mga g**ong nananawagan lang para dito. Sa halip na pakinggan ang lehitimong hinaing ng mga guo ng bayan, sinagot sila ng baton, dumanak na dugo, at wasak na mga gamit," Tinio said.
"Sa araw bago pa man ang World Teachers' Day, ipinakita ng administrasyong Marcos ang tunay nilang mukha — pang-aapi sa mga naglilingkod sa bayan. Ito ay isang malinaw na paglabag sa karapatang magpahayag at magprotesta,," he added.
Tinio pointed out that the protest demands are eminently reasonable, especially in light of recent Commission on Audit (COA) findings exposing thousands of unbuilt or "ghost" classrooms, unpaid infrastructure projects, and severe underutilization of Department of Education funds as well as billions of pork in the proposed 2027 budget but nothing for teachers and education suppory personnel.
"The government claims it has no money for a decent salary for teachers, yet COA reports reveal billions wasted on ghost classrooms and idle funds. The resources exist — what is lacking is the political will to prioritize our teachers over corruption and misplaced spending. Kaya nga bukod sa dagdag sahod, kasama sa aming panawagan ang pananagutan sa mga korap na opisyal," Tinio said.
The veteran educator-lawmaker reiterated the movement's fundamental calls: *Dagdag sweldo, hindi dagdag trabaho! Ipaglaban ang karapatan, kagalingan, at sapat na badyet para sa makabayang edukasyon!*
Tinio demanded that the Philippine National Police immediately investigate and hold accountable the officers responsible for the injuries and destruction of property, and called on the Commission on Human Rights to conduct an independent probe into the dispersal.
He also called on all teachers, education support personnel, students, and members of the education sector to remain firm and stand united against state harassment.
"Huwag tayong susuko sa kanilang pananakot. Ang ganitong pangigipit ay patunay lamang na tama ang ating ipinaglalaban. Lumahok tayo sa pagkilos ngayong World Teachers' Day. Babalik tayo — mas marami at mas determinado — hanggang maipanalo natin ang sahod at benepisyong matagal nang dapat na naibigay sa mga g**o," Tinio ended. #
