08/06/2026
Teachers hold sunrise protest as same old problems hound new school year
Before heading to their respective schools on the first day of classes, public school teachers under the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines trooped to Mendiola at sunrise to expose the scale of the education crisis that continues to batter the public education system and burden teachers, education workers, and learners.
“Bagong taong panuruan, luma at lumalalang kakulangan ang muling sasalubong sa atin ngayong balik-eskwela. Kung may dapat na kumustahin ang gobyerno, walang iba kundi ang mga g**o, kawani, kabataan, at mamamayang Pilipino na humaharap sa dobleng krisis sa ekonomiya at edukasyon. Bago pa man ang inaasahang pananalanta ng mga bagyo at kalamidad ngayong panahon, matagal nang hinahagupit ng matinding kakulangan sa mga g**o, kawani, silid-aralan, kagamitan at pasilidad ang sektor ng edukasyon dahil sa kawalang prayoridad at pag-abandona ng gobyerno," stated Ruby Bernardo, ACT Chairperson.
"Matagal nang lubog ang mga g**o, hindi lang sa baha, kundi sa utang dahil sa kapos na sweldo at kakarampot na benepisyo. Matagal nang lunod sa trabaho ang mga g**o dahil sa bigat ng pasan nating responsibilidad na inaagaw ang ating panahon sa pagtuturo. Matagal nang pinipilit iahon ng mga g**o at magulang ang pabulusok na kalagayan ng edukasyon sa pamamagitan ng pagkukusa, pag-aabono, at pag-aambagan, samantalang lumalangoy sa yaman ang mga kurakot at naglulustay sa pondo ng bayan," Bernardo added.
ACT stressed that the learning crisis will persist as long as the government continues to starve the education sector of the resources it urgently needs.
The group pointed out that despite the so-called historic trillion-peso education budget, it remains grossly insufficient to resolve the massive shortages in basic education needs, with classroom shortage standing at 165,000, teacher shortage at 150,000, and shortage of more than 300,000 education support personnel including guidance counselors, school nurses, and registrars, as well as millions of lacking textbooks and learning materials.
"The unresolved shortages will definitely hinder progress in addressing learning gaps, while ill-prepared, hasty, and undemocratic policy and system reforms will leave teachers grappling for guidance and support. We call for political and decisive action from the Marcos Jr. administration by allocating 6% of GDP to education, raising teachers' and education workers' salaries to decent and livable levels, and overhauling the curriculum and education system to align with the needs of genuine national development," Bernardo explained.
Following the sunrise protest, ACT members also announced visits to multiple public schools in Manila and Quezon City to directly observe conditions on the ground and engage with teachers and school communities. The group will also hold a sunset protest at Welcome Rotonda to call for urgent government action on pressing education issues. #