Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Gov. Petilla urges DepEd to adopt strategy to free teachers from loan sharks

GOVENMENT CENTER, PALO,Leyte – With the success of the microfinance program that the provincial government of Leyte is implementing among its employees at the provincial capitol, Governor Jericho “Icot” Petilla is urging the Department of Education to adopt the same strategy to help their teachers, many of whom are debt-ridden.

“We know for a fact that most of our teachers and other government employees, most of their salaries are intended as payment for their loans and debts,” Petilla said in front of DepEd officials in the region and other education stakeholders.

Petilla, who was once a collefe professor, said that he already knows the sentiment of teachers being the governor of the province as he always make it a point to visit every public school in his weekly barangay visits.

“I know that even if the increase or bonus is still a hearsay, some of you have already acquired a loan, wherein your salary serves as the payment and in the end you go home with almost nothing,” Petilla said.

“One thing that we can help them is by creating a cooperative which they are the one operating and they can lend with a minimal interest,” he added.

Petilla cited the Asenso program of the provincial government that started with a credit portfolio of P3 million, now after five years of its operation it already increase its portfolio to P21 million. “Having your own microfinancing scheme maintained and operated by teachers and employees of DepEd would benefit you a lot because the benefits and interests would be benefited by your members in a form of dividend,” Petilla further explained.

“Aside from addressing the problem of teachers on inability to have take home pay this will also help them from limiting on leading from outside financing institutions,” he added.

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