Policy purpose: clothing allowance extension
- The Letter establishes the objective of allowing female public school teachers to receive a clothing allowance so they can purchase uniforms.
- The Letter recognizes that funding limitations had prevented public school teachers from receiving clothing allowances.
Covered beneficiaries and grant amount
- Female public school teachers employed by the national government in elementary schools and national high schools shall receive a clothing allowance of P150 each per annum.
- All local governments are authorized to grant a similar clothing allowance to teachers in local schools.
- Female teachers in barrio high schools and nursery schools and in community colleges are likewise entitled to clothing allowances chargeable to the same DEC budgetary savings.
National and local funding charges
- The national clothing allowance amount shall be charged to savings in the programmed appropriations for current operating expenditures in the budget of the Department of Education and Culture.
- Local governments shall charge the cost to budgetary savings of local government units, including savings in amounts released to them as national government aid for local schools.
Timing and implementation schedule
- The clothing allowance grant is effective in Calendar Year 1978.
- A first installment on the CY 1978 clothing allowance shall be paid immediately out of budgetary savings in Calendar Year 1977.
- The unpaid balance shall be paid from budgetary savings realized in 1978.
- Beginning CY 1979, the budget of the Department of Education and Culture shall provide specifically for the clothing allowance requirement.
Payment form and uniformity guidelines
- Clothing allowances shall be paid to teachers in cash.
- The Secretary of Education and Culture shall issue guidelines ensuring uniformity in style, color, type of material, and other related specifications.
- The guidelines shall not be so specific as to require the purchase of a specific manufacturer's product or a specific brand.
Coordination and possible linkage arrangement
- The Secretary of Education and Culture, the Commissioner of the Budget, and the Chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines shall explore a possibility of a linkage arrangement among the Development Bank of the Philippines, textile manufacturers, and the national government.
- The officials shall submit recommendations to the President on the linkage arrangement.
Budget releases, rules, and targeted funding
- The Commissioner of the Budget shall issue rules and regulations on:
- the identification and use of savings, and
- the release of funds for public school teachers.
- The Letter targets fund release in the amount of P52.5 million, more or less, to cover the requirements of about 350 thousand school teachers at P150 each per annum.
Local-school rules by the Finance Secretary
- The Secretary of Finance shall issue rules and regulations pertaining to schools supported by local government units.
Authority relationships and operational direction
- Provincial Governors, City and Municipal Mayors are directed to support implementation of the local government authorization to grant the clothing allowance for teachers in local schools.
- The Department of Education and Culture (DEC) is tasked with issuing necessary guidelines to ensure uniformity in clothing specifications without compelling brand-specific purchases.