The Department of Education (DepEd) has released new guidelines for granting vacation service credits to public school teachers. These revisions aim to support teachers by providing additional benefits, addressing concerns related to their net take-home pay during summer or long vacations, and ensuring consistent implementation across the education system. This update is in line with Republic Act No. 4670 (Magna Carta for Public School Teachers), various Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circulars, and previous DepEd Orders.

Key Points of the New Guidelines

1. Increased Vacation Service Credits:
   • Teachers who have been teaching for at least a year or are appointed within four months after the start of classes are now entitled to 30 days of vacation service credits annually.
   • Newly hired teachers with late appointments (issued four months after the start of classes) will receive 45 days of vacation service credits each year.
2. Calculation of Credits:
   • Regular School Days: For every hour of work performed beyond regular school hours, teachers will receive 1.25 hours of vacation service credits.
   • Breaks, Weekends, and Holidays: For activities during Christmas or summer breaks, weekends, or holidays, teachers will earn 1.5 hours of credits for every hour worked.
   • Teaching Overload: One hour of teaching overload is equal to 1.25 hours of vacation service credits. If funds are insufficient for paying teaching overload, these credits can still be granted.
3. Eligible Activities for Earning Credits:
   • Remedial or Enhancement Classes: Held during weekends, summer breaks, Christmas vacation, or outside of regular school days.
   • School Events: Participation in sports competitions, youth formation, scouting activities, and other school-related events held outside regular school hours.
   • Extra Duties: Attending training sessions, seminars, and special DepEd projects during weekends, holidays, or vacation periods.
   • Calamity-Related Work: Services rendered when schools are used as evacuation centers.
   • Parent Conferences and Home Visits: Carried out beyond regular working hours.
   • Election-Related Duties: As long as they are mandated by existing laws.
   • Teaching-Related Assignments: Work outside regular school hours, as defined by DepEd.
4. Activities Not Eligible for Credits:
   • In-service training programs, mentoring during regular school hours, or tasks related to exhibit fairs that do not extend beyond the official working day.
   • Traveling time to official training, seminars, or workshops.
   • Personal or government-funded research.
5. Use of Vacation Service Credits:
   • Credits can be used for absences due to illness or to offset proportional deductions in vacation pay for personal absences or late appointments.
   • Teachers can apply for leave using their credits by filling out a Civil Service (CS) Form No. 6.
   • For leaves exceeding five consecutive days due to illness, a medical certificate or notarized affidavit is required.

Procedures for Granting Credits

1. Before the Activity:
   • School heads must submit a written request for vacation service credits to the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) or Regional Director, indicating the activity and its duration.
2. Approval:
   • The SDS has the authority to approve requests for credits related to school, district, and division-level activities. The Regional Director oversees activities conducted region-wide.
3. After the Activity:
   • Documents like Daily Time Records (DTR), accomplishment reports, attendance certificates, and memorandums of authority must be submitted within one month after the activity’s completion.
   • The approved credits will be recorded in the teacher’s leave card.
4. Teaching Overload Credits:
   • For teaching overload, schools must submit relevant documents like DTRs, School Form 7, certification of teaching overload, and certification of insufficient funds quarterly.

Policy Coverage

The revised guidelines apply to all public school teachers, including Mobile Teachers on permanent, substitute, or provisional appointments in public elementary, junior high, and senior high schools.

Important Definitions

1. Proportional Vacation Pay (PVP): This is the compensation teaching personnel receive during Christmas and summer vacations, based on the number of days they served during the school year.
2. Vacation Service Credit: The leave credits earned by teachers for work performed beyond regular school duties during vacations, weekends, and holidays.

Proportional Vacation Pay (PVP) Guidelines

• Entitlement: Teachers will not receive the usual vacation and sick leave credits, but instead, will get PVP based on their service during the school year. Credits can be used to offset absences or deductions.
• New Teachers: Those who joined mid-year are still entitled to PVP.
• Retirement or Transfer: Teachers who resign, retire, or are reassigned can monetize unused vacation service credits.

Monitoring and Compliance

• School heads and HR personnel must monitor the proper implementation of these guidelines.
• The Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development – Personnel Division (BHROD-PD) will oversee the overall implementation and suggest policy enhancements as needed.

Effectivity and Repealing Clause

• This DepEd Order will take effect 15 days after its approval, publication on the DepEd website, and registration with the University of the Philippines Law Center.
• It repeals DepEd Order No. 53, s. 2003, its addendum, and any other related orders inconsistent with the new guidelines.

For more detailed information, you can download DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)