IN a move that will surely be greeted with joy by public school teachers and its employees, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday ordered the implementation of the P5,000 net take home pay from the present P3, 000 net pay.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said deductions accruing to contributions or obligations for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Philhealth and Pag-Ibig, mutual benefits associations, thrift banks, loans, cooperatives, provident associations and duly licensed insurance companies accredited by the government will not be affected by his order.

“Provided, that such deductions shall not reduce the employees’ monthly net take home pay to an amount lower than P5, 000 after all authorized deductions. Provided further, than in the event when total authorized deductions shall reduce net take home pay to less than P5, 000, authorized deductions under Item A (BIR, GSIS, Philhealth, Pag-Ibig) shall enjoy first preference,” Luistro’s said in DepEd Order No. 8.

Under the new order, deductions shall not be allowed when the net take home pay of borrowing teachers and other DepEd employees would be reduced to an amount lower than P5, 000.

But the DepEd chief said the order would not be retroactive or cover those existing deductions so as he explained “not to disturb the current payroll system.”

Earlier, various teachers groups urged DepEd to prioritize their welfare by ensuring that their net take home pay is enough for them to make a decent living adding that current P3,000 is not enough to raise a family.

Another point they have called is for reform in the accreditation process of private lending institutions (APDS) system saying that for many years it is unregulated, unmonitored and abused--some of these firms are charge interest rates as high as 75 percent of the loan.

They also said the some DepEd personnel are in collusion with these erring private lending institutions, particularly in the preparation of deduction reports.