Marcos grants P7,000 annual medical allowance for DepEd personnel
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. has approved the release of a P7,000 annual medical allowance for public school teachers and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd).
'This is our way of recognizing the commitment of our teachers and staff. This allowance is a way to give back and ensure they never have to choose between their health and the stress of medical bills,' said Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
The initiative, formalized under Executive Order No. 64, s. 2024 and supported by Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Circular No. 2024-6, seeks to ease the burden of out-of-pocket medical expenses and promote better health outcomes among educators and staff, particularly those in low-income, remote, or high-risk areas.
DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2025 lays out the guidelines for the grant, offering three options for employees to access the benefit:
Enrollment in group Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) packages procured by DepEd,
Individual purchase or renewal of HMO-type products
Direct cash payment via payroll, especially for those in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) or without access to HMO services.
Eligible recipients include all permanent, co-terminus, fixed-term, casual, and contractual personnel who have rendered at least six months of service within the year.
Excluded are those without a formal employer-employee relationship with DepEd, such as consultants, job order workers, apprentices, and student laborers.
DepEd emphasized that for those availing of individual HMOs or direct cash options, the P7,000 allowance will be disbursed through payroll even before the submission of receipts or supporting documents.
However, failure to comply with documentation requirements may lead to the suspension of the following year's allowance.
'This is a realization of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers,' DepEd added, citing Republic Act No. 4670, which mandates health benefits for educators.
The agency said the program is expected to reduce absenteeism, enhance staff morale, and strengthen the resilience of the teaching force—particularly in underserved communities.
The rollout of the medical allowance is part of the Marcos administration's broader push to improve the welfare of government workers and recognize the critical role of educators in nation-building. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
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