Butuanon teachers see Expanded Career Progression as a ‘gift to teachers’
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Public school teachers in Butuan hailed the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) program of the Department of Education (DepEd) as a long-awaited opportunity for professional growth, describing it as a “gift to teachers.”
“There will be no more teachers who will retire as Teacher I,” said Francis May Delos Reyes, one of the first batch of promotees in the Schools Division of Butuan City under the ECP program. She expressed gratitude for the initiative, which she said opened wider avenues for advancement among educators.
Delos Reyes, who began her career as a Teacher I and gradually rose to Teacher III, shared that the traditional promotion system was often competitive and heavily reliant on rankings and paperwork. With ECP, she was able to leap three salary grades higher, from Teacher III to Teacher VI, a promotion she described as more streamlined and achievable. “The promotion process has been simplified, with documentation reduced to essentials, making it more attainable for teachers,” she added.
Echoing the same sentiment, Lorelei D. Godinez, a former Special Education Teacher II from the SPED Center Butuan, who was promoted to Teacher VII after three decades of service, said the program is a recognition of the sacrifices of Filipino educators. “ECP is a gift from the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to us, teachers. Through this program, we feel that they have recognized the hard work and perseverance of Filipino teachers. And for that, we are extremely thankful,” Godinez said.
On June 1, Education Secretary Edgardo “Sonny” Angara personally led the mass oath-taking of almost 1,000 promoted teachers and school heads from Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Cabadbaran City, Surigao City, and Surigao del Norte at Agusan National High School. Delos Reyes and Godinez were among those formally sworn in under the ECP system.
DepEd introduced the Expanded Career Progression program to provide more career advancement opportunities for teachers nationwide. Unlike the previous system where promotions were limited and highly competitive, ECP allows teachers to progress based on merit, experience, and academic qualifications, ensuring that long-serving educators will no longer retire at entry-level positions.
The initiative is aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s agenda to uplift the welfare of teachers and improve the quality of education for learners. By streamlining promotion processes and recognizing educators’ contributions, the administration aims to strengthen the teaching workforce and enhance learning outcomes. (NJGD, PIA Caraga)
