‘An answered prayer’, Caraga teachers on PBBM’s ECP system

‘ANSWERED PRAYER’. Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo Jr. delivers President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s message during the mass oathtaking of the 1,559 newly-promoted teachers and school heads in Caraga region at the Agusan Valley Convention Center in Agusan del Sur on Sunday (May 24, 2026). The teachers called President Marcos’ Expanded Career Progression system as “an answered prayer.” (Photo courtesy of PCO)

MANILA – Teachers in the Caraga Region who were promoted under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Career Progression (ECP) system have expressed deep gratitude, describing their promotions as an “answered prayer” after decades of waiting.

ECP aimed at promoting professional development and career advancement for teachers. The program defines career lines of teachers in the public basic education system (Kindergarten to SHS) managed by the Department of Education (DepEd).

In an interview with the Presidential News Desk (PND), 57-year-old Maria Antonieta Abugan, who was promoted from Teacher III to Teacher VI, said the promotion boosted her morale and renewed her passion for teaching.

“Finally, answered prayer talaga…Kala namin hanggang dito na lang pero ngayon medyo ganado (Finally, an answered prayer… We used to only get this far, but now we’re a little more successful),” Abugan said.

Abugan shared that she had waited nearly 20 years for the promotion. She added that the salary increase would greatly help her in supporting her children, who are about to enter college.

“Malaking tulong talaga, lalo na ngayon na magka-college na ang mga anak ko. Tatlo ang college ko, sabay-sabay, kaya medyo pinoproblema ng pamilya ang pinansyal. Answered prayer na na-promote ako at nadagdagan ang sahod ko (It’s really a big help, especially now that my children are going to college. I have three college students, all at the same time, so the family is having a bit of a financial problem. Answered prayer that I was promoted and my salary increased),” she said.

She also thanked President Marcos for the ECP program and expressed hope that more teachers would benefit from it.

“Maraming salamat. Sana ay marami pang matutulungan na tulad ko na teacher. At talagang ang ganda at galing lang ng programang ito na marami talagang natutulungan, napaangat na teacher kasi akala namin mag-retire na kami Teacher III lang (Thank you very much. I hope that many more teachers like me can be helped. And this program is really great, and great that many teachers are being helped, we have been promoted because we thought we would retire as Teachers III),” Abugan added.

“So, by three years magre-retire na ako so thankful na teacher VI ako magre-retire (So, in three years I will retire so I am thankful that I will retire as a Teacher VI),” she said.

Meanwhile, 59-year-old Corazon Simon, who was also promoted from Teacher III to Teacher VI after waiting 35 years, said she still finds it hard to believe.

“Mahalaga po ang ECP kasi hindi namin akalain na ma-promote kami sa Teacher VI. Dahil po dito, nakamit namin itong promotion na ito (The ECP is important because we never thought we would be promoted to Teacher VI. Because of this, we achieved this promotion),” Simon said.

She added that the promotion would help both her finances and her teaching career.

“Sa ating Pangulo, maraming-maraming salamat po sa ganitong opportunity (To our President, thank you very much for this opportunity),” she said.

Another beneficiary, William Flores, 59, who was likewise promoted from Teacher III to Teacher VI after almost 34 years of service, said the ECP provided teachers with long-overdue recognition and financial support, especially as they approach retirement.

“Ito po ay malaking tulong po sa aming nga guro dahil hindi namin inaasahan na mangyari po ito sa amin na mayroong promotion na ganito (This is a big help to our teachers because we never expected this to happen to us with a promotion like this),” Flores said.

Flores also thanked President Marcos for the initiative.

“Salamat po Pangulong Marcos sa inyong tulong na naibigay ninyo sa aming mga guro. Talagang answered prayer po sa aming mga guro (Thank you President Marcos for the help you have given to our teachers. Truly an answered prayer for our teachers),” he added.

Since August 2025, almost 80,000 educators have been promoted under the ECP program, making promotions no longer vacancy-based but rather anchored in teachers’ actual proficiency and merit. (PND)