Marilyn Cahatol

Teachers attend to their classrooms in their first face-to-face classes at the Francisco Legaspi Memorial School in Pasig City on November 2, 2022, as the Department of Education implements full physical class attendance in public schools nationwide after 2 years of online and hybrid learning. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177459149658920221102-face to face-classes-pasig-JC-6423.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Teachers attend to their classrooms in their first face-to-face classes at the Francisco Legaspi Memorial School in Pasig City on November 2, 2022, as the Department of Education implements full physical class attendance in public schools nationwide after 2 years of online and hybrid learning. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio on Friday said the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/22/marcos-approves-adoption-of-3-term-school-calendar-beginning-sy-2026-2027-1910">newly approved</a> three-term school calendar set to begin on the coming Academic Year 2026-2027 has raised teachers’ eyebrows due to the heavy workload, tight schedule, and alleged lack of extensive consultation. </p><p>“Ang sinasabi ng mga teachers is definitely malaking trabaho ang kailangang gawin para sundin ito,” Tinio said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart. </p><p>He pertains to recalibration needed in the curriculum, lesson plan and timetable that are still tailored for the current four-quarter school year. </p><p>“You cannot underestimate the volume of bureaucratic requirements that teachers have to submit around grades, reporting of grades and so on,” he said. </p><p>The teachers’ representative also said concerns arose about whether the two-week end-of-term block is enough to be the only period in the new calendar when schools are allowed to hold extra-curricular activities and remediation. </p><p>Tinio said the two-week period has to accommodate activities including school levels of Palarong Pambansa, school press conferences, festival of talents, as well as the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program meant to provide free and targeted teaching for students with learning gaps. </p><p>“Kaya taas ang kilay ng teachers in the field because duda sila how all of these things can be crammed into this period while pinahaba yung school days per term,” he said. </p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the new three-term academic calendar last Sunday, March 22, supposedly aimed at improving learning delivery while maintaining the required number of school days. </p><p>Undersecretary Carmela Oracion of the DepEd’s Learning Systems Strand said the structural change underwent consultations with teachers, school leaders, and learners. </p><p>Tinio meanwhile said it was &quot;imposed from the top down&quot; and that there was no “extensive consultation or discussion among themselves who are expected to implement the policy as early as or as soon as next school year.” </p><p>He also noted the “many questions but unclear benefits” of the program, which he stressed has not undergone a pilot implementation.</p><p>“So in other words, the benefits that they (DepEd) claim at this point are purely hypothetical.”</p><p>ACT previously slammed the administration for what it described as a “rushed” and “superficial” reform, arguing that the shift fails to address fundamental problems in the education sector, including shortages in classrooms, teachers, and learning resources.</p><p>It also criticized what it called misplaced government priorities, saying that instead of introducing structural changes, authorities should focus on addressing economic hardships faced by teachers, including low wages and rising living costs.</p><p>The group reiterated its call for increased education funding, higher salaries for education workers, including a proposed P50,000 entry-level salary for teachers, and higher allowances, stressing that long-standing systemic issues remain unresolved despite the planned calendar shift. <strong>— With reports from Francis Orcio, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><a href="http://New 3-term school year breaks calendar into three blocks to cut disruptions">New 3-term school year breaks calendar into three blocks to cut disruptions</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UT3Q6LKvlbY?si=VjiiXrqQj3hgeVjX" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio on Friday said the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/22/marcos-approves-adoption-of-3-term-school-calendar-beginning-sy-2026-2027-1910">newly approved</a> three-term school calendar set to begin on the coming Academic Year 2026-2027 has raised teachers’ eyebrows due to the heavy workload, tight schedule, and lack of extensive consultation.</p>

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio on Friday said the newly approved three-term school calendar set to begin on the coming Academic Year 2026-2027 has raised teachers’ eyebrows due to the heavy workload, tight schedule, and lack of extensive consultation.

Tinio on new 3-term school calendar: 'Taas ang kilay ng teachers sa field'

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Tinio on new 3-term school calendar: 'Taas ang kilay ng teachers sa field'

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 27, 2026 02:25 PM PHT

Read More:

Department of Education

3-term school year

Antonio Tinio

ACT Teachers

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