LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III led the mass oath-taking of newly promoted and appointed teachers on Friday, marking a significant milestone in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) massive career advancement initiative.
The event is part of a broader national goal to implement 100,000 career upgrades for public school teachers in 2026, aimed at addressing long-standing stagnation in teacher promotions and improving the quality of basic education.
A New Career Path Secretary Angara emphasized that the mass promotions are more than just a ceremony; they represent the full implementation of the expanded career progression system. This new structure allows teachers to advance their ranks based on merit and professional growth without necessarily moving into administrative roles.
- The Goal: To ensure that the best educators remain in the classroom by providing them with the salaries and professional titles they deserve.
- National Rollout: The 100,000 upgrades target educators from Master Teacher I to Master Teacher IV, as well as the transition of eligible personnel into higher professional tiers.
Ilocos Norte as a Benchmark During the ceremony, Rep. Sandro Marcos highlighted the importance of supporting teachers as the “backbone of the nation.” He noted that providing teachers with timely promotions is a priority of the current administration to boost morale and ensure that the teaching profession remains attractive to the youth.
- Local Impact: Hundreds of teachers from across the province took their oaths, many of whom had been waiting years for a formal rank adjustment.
- Resource Allocation: The DepEd assured that the funding for these 100,000 upgrades has been secured in the 2026 budget to prevent delays in salary adjustments.
Quality of Education The mass promotion program is a key pillar of the “Matatag” agenda, which seeks to professionalize the service and provide better support for teachers to improve student learning outcomes. Angara noted that by taking care of the teachers’ welfare, the government is directly investing in the future of millions of Filipino students.
As the DepEd continues its provincial tours, similar mass oath-takings are expected to be held in other regions to fulfill the 100,000-upgrade commitment by the end of the year.