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“Nanawagan po ako, kasama ang Department of Education (DepEd), sa ating mga mambabatas na ipasa na ang Senate Bill 2953 (Governance of the System of Pre-School Education) kung saan kinakailangan ipatupad ang pagpasok ng mga kabataan sa pre-school sa lahat ng pampublikong paaralan bago tumuntong ng elementarya,” sabi ni Liberal Party Senatorial candidate Neric Acosta.  He strongly vows to push for the immediate passage of the bill that would provide quality education for the preschool-aged children because this would help develop a child’s attitude towards school in the child’s later years.

Investing in our children

“I am an educator, and I strongly believe that education is the great equalizer. Quality education should be made available to everyone, most especially to young school children, who absorb knowledge like a sponge,” explains Acosta.  This is my main campaign advocacy “tamang edukasyon para sa kabataan.”  That it is important to provide these kids with the right education and teach these kids the basics while they are still in their formative years because those years will play a big role on their personal development.

The government ought to know its priorities. For years now, the education budget is only between 2% to 2.5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), lower than the 4% to 5% recommended by UNESCO. Acosta strongly calls for the government to wake up from its stupor and use wisely the available annual budget allocation. The education system in our country is in a sorry state, with foreign observers saying that when it comes to education, “the Philippines is a striking example of underperformance.”

Acosta laments that “there is just too much corruption, corruption, corruption in the DepEd.”  In fact, even if the DepEd has the biggest budget allocation for the past several years, there is still a severe shortage of classrooms, extreme lack of textbooks and a serious dearth of teachers needed all over the country.  “Kung walang corrupt, lahat ng kabataan ay makapag-aral!”  Acosta believes that if corruption in the DepEd will be eradicated, each Filipino school children will have a better and bright future.  

Compensation for teachers

“I hope this time the school teachers will be justly compensated once the bill is passed into law. After all, teaching is a noble job, molding our children’s future,” says Acosta.   He will carry on the fight of the teachers once elected to the Senate to provide better terms of employment – higher salaries, improve sick leave and vacation leave benefits, and upgrade health and medical insurance benefits.