myPPSTA

PPSTA: 1947 – 2007

60 Years of Enhancing the Lives of the Public School

Teachers

The Legacy of Education

The single, most important legacy every Filipino parent would want to bequeath to his or her children is education. This one burning desire has led to countless tales of sacrificial love of parents such as foregoing of personal needs, including medical treatment, or selling the only means of livelihood: the farmland, just so the children would receive the education they deserve.

The Dream of Dr. Jose Rizal

Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal believed education, not revolution, was the way to freedom of every Filipino. This value, this passion has become ingrained in the fiber of our being. For this reason, from generation to generation, the Philippines has raised a vast army of dedicated public school teachers trekking long distances, braving the elements, waiving even hunger and disease. These are the national heroes along with Dr. Jose Rizal.

The Beginnings of the Teachers’ Association

As early as 1931, public school teachers during the Commonwealth Period saw the need to band together in order to protect their profession as well as to assist fellow teachers cope with harsh economic realities. A young teacher by the name of Ricardo Castro sought to consolidate the fragmented teachers’ associations into the League of Public School Teachers’ Association (LPPSTA). Notable among its contributions to the welfare of public school teachers were the successful lobby in the Legislature not only to halt the cutting of teachers’ monthly salaries by 25% but to increase salaries by 12.5%, and the creation of the Teachers’ Pavilion at the Quezon Institute to care for teachers afflicted by the dreaded malady: tuberculosis.

The Philippine Educational System Rises from the Rubbles

In 1941, the Philippines was thrown into the devastating World War II. When the smoke cleared in 1947, Manila was virtually leveled to the ground. The painful ordeal of reconstruction began. Trade and commerce had to be revived. As school buildings were rebuilt, teachers had to be re-hired at meager salaries. There was the need to help public school teachers cope with the war-torn economy. Picking up from the LPPSTA, a delegate assembly met on April 5, 1947 and established the Philippine Public School teachers’ Association (PPSTA) with a new constitution where membership was now opened to individual teachers instead of associations. Marcelino Bautista was installed as the first PPSTA president. With a mere

P2,074.79 inherited from the League, PPSTA filed its new articles of incorporation and by-laws with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 1947 and was approved on April 19, 1947.

PPSTA Milestones Through 60 Years of Service

1947 – 1956:

In 1948, the “abuluyan” system that began with the League developed into the Mutual Aid System starting with a cash benefit of P200. PPSTA had its first office in Colcol Press along Rizal Avenue in Manila. In 1949, Juan C. Laya published the association’s first newspaper, The Philippine Educator, which eventually developed into publishing teaching devices and model lesson plans. Realizing the need to have a publication that would promote the interests of the teachers, in 1953 the PPSTA Herald came off the press. By 1956, PPSTA moved to its first building at 27 Banawe St., Quezon City.

1957 -1966:

In 1957, with the assistance of the Asia Foundation, PPSTA started a book program to rebuild libraries destroyed during the war.

Even in its formative years, PPSTA was already working for the professional advancement of public school teachers. Hence in 1959, the Community Leadership Education Center was set up in the PPSTA building.

Meanwhile, the Mutual Aid System continued to grow, expanding and raising benefits in-keeping with the times. A free accident insurance feature was added.

1967 – 1976:

In 1972, PPSTA established its own retirement program, the Mutual Retirement Benefit System, to augment the public school teachers’ retirement benefits from the government.

The Philippine government had begun to recognize the vital role PPSTA plays in the support and development of public school teachers to the point that the association president was given a director seat in the board of the Government Security and Insurance Service (GSIS). Unfortunately, later PPSTA Board of Trustees failed to appreciate the importance and prestige of such a seat and eventually gave up the privilege.

1977 – 1986:

Certain indiscretions on the part of certain Board of Trustees members led to improper land acquisitions in North Luzon that resulted in dissipation of some of PPSTA’s funds. The government acted swiftly to prevent further dissipation. A loan of P45 million was immediately granted to shore up PPSTA’s funds. And under Letter of Instruction 860 from the President of the Philippines, PPSTA came under government control under the Department of Education.

1987 – 1996:

In 1987, Department of Education Secretary Lourdes Quisumbing appointed Jaime Laya to oversee PPSTA operations. It was during Mr. Laya’s stewardship that PPSTA loan processing and check preparation operations were computerized. Sariling Sikap Loan allowed teachers to take out loan amounts from P2,500 to P5,000.

Finally, in 1992, LOI 860 was lifted.

1997 – 2006:

In 1993, Congress passed Republic Act 7172, returning the PPSTA its autonomy. By this time, the Mutual Aid System benefit which began with P200 in 1948, grew to P6,000 in 1958, rose to P100,000 in 1998, and P150,000 in 2001.

In April 2005, this time because of some anomalous transactions regarding teachers’ uniforms by certain Board of Trustees members, PPSTA was placed under conservatorship by the Office of the Insurance Commission in order to once again protect the dissipation of the association’s funds.

Since then, PPSTA has grown stronger and healthier financially, with growing investment portfolios, increasing benefits to its teacher-members, and growing assets far exceeding its loan receivables.

On September 30, 2006, in a Constitutional Convention of the various regional and chapter heads held at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay, a new Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws were ratified. Foremost among the amendments were the appointment of four independent members to the Board of Trustees, and the limiting of the Board of Trustees’ term to not more than two consecutive terms or a maximum of six years.