Tale of teachers’ diaspora
TACLOBAN CITY– Steven (not his real name) left his teaching job in Hilongos, Leyte, for the United States, drawn by the prospect of earning ten times his previous salary.
At 35, this PhD holder felt his work in education was more valued abroad than in his home country.
“Working in the US brought many realizations—about salary, compensation, benefits, and work culture,” Steven told the Leyte Samar Daily Express. “In the US, the school principal serves the teachers, not the other way around,” he added, contrasting the work environments in the Philippines and the US.
Steven, who had 11 years of experience teaching in a public school, recalled facing “power tripping” by superiors back home.
But in California, where he started as a substitute teacher, his salary quickly improved.
“I was offered $409 per day (about P23,700). That adds up to about $8,000 per month—nearly half a million pesos,” said Steven, now a green card holder.
In the Philippines, despite his qualifications, he earned only P50,000 per month (about $855). The $5,000 signing bonus (around P290,000) he received upon accepting his US teaching job was another surprise.
Now teaching 7th and 8th-grade Math to classes of just 20 to 30 students, Steven said he prefers the work-life balance in the US.
In the Philippines, teachers typically work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., often juggling additional clerical duties beyond their classroom responsibilities.
“I teach from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an hour for preparation and a one-hour lunch break,” he shared, adding that he has the support of a teaching aide—something unheard of in his previous role.
Unlike in the Philippines, Steven can also earn extra income by substituting for absent colleagues.
When asked if he remained hopeful about the education system in the Philippines, Steven responded, “The higher-ups need to listen to the concerns of ordinary teachers and not just impose their own ideas.”
He also highlighted the overloaded curriculum back home. “In the US, the focus is on Reading, Math, and Science. Other subjects aren’t taught daily, which allows students to master lessons more effectively.”
Steven is not alone in his journey. His school employs 10 fellow Filipino teachers and another 15 Filipino teaching aides.
A Shared Experience
For 39-year-old Gary Mosquito, moving to the US in July 2024 for a teaching job presented “an opportunity to explore the rich educational diversity” in the country.
After 17 years as a classroom teacher and head teacher in the Philippines, Mosquito secured an H1B visa, allowing him to work in the US.
“I believe teaching in a diverse environment will expand my understanding of different cultures, making me a more effective and culturally competent educator,” Mosquito said.
Despite having received numerous awards in the Philippines, he sought better opportunities that would reflect his skills and performance.
Before leaving, Mosquito managed an elementary school in Palo, Leyte, overseeing 16 teachers and 445 students.
Now, he teaches Math, English, and Science for six hours a day to just 20 to 30 students per class—a stark contrast to the overcrowded classrooms of 40 to 45 students he left behind in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, Mosquito earned P39,000 per month (about $667), a modest sum compared to his salary abroad.
Government Response
Amid the exodus of Filipino teachers, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that the government will implement another round of salary increases for 1.9 million state workers, including around 1 million teaching staff.
However, these salary adjustments will be rolled out over four years. As of now, the entry-level salary for a public school teacher in the Philippines is P27,000 (about $462) per month.
The Growing Exodus
In 2018, the Learning Policy Institute, a US-based policy body, reported a shortage of 112,000 teachers due to declining enrollment in teacher training programs.
Data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) shows that around 1,500 Filipino teachers have left the country each year over the past three years.
“The number could be even higher in 2024, which is alarming because we may eventually run out of teachers in the Philippines,” said Benjo Basas, national chairperson of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC).
Basas highlighted the widespread dissatisfaction among teachers, many of whom share their plans to leave on social media, despite expressing reluctance.
The reasons for this mass exodus include low salaries, heavy workloads, toxic work environments, poor physical conditions in schools, unfair promotion processes, excessive regulations, and a lack of social welfare policies.
“Our government does not prioritize teachers,” Basas stressed, adding that the teaching profession in the Philippines has long been neglected in terms of benefits, opportunities, and welfare.
By RONALD O. REYES
