Teacher Salary Update: Are We Ready for the 3rd Tranche of SSL VI in 2026?

Hello, fellow kaguros!

If you’re like me, the first thing you check when the news comes on is updates about our salary. We’ve all felt the pinch of inflation lately—whether it’s the rising cost of pamasahe or the price of bond paper we buy from our own pockets (aminin!).

So, let’s talk numbers. We are currently enjoying the Second Tranche of the Salary Standardization Law VI (SSL VI), which took effect last January 1, 2025. For a Teacher I (Salary Grade 11), that bumped us up to around ₱30,024 per month. Not bad, but with the prices of goods today, is it enough?

What’s Coming in 2026?

Hold on to your chalk, because the Third Tranche is scheduled for implementation on January 1, 2026. Based on the projected tables from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), we are looking at another incremental increase.

Here is a quick projection for our Teacher I friends:

Year

Phase

Monthly Basic Salary (SG 11, Step 1)

2025

2nd Tranche (Current)

₱30,024

2026

3rd Tranche (Upcoming)

~₱31,705

2027

4th Tranche (Final)

~₱33,387

That’s roughly a ₱1,600 increase entering 2026. It might not look huge on paper, but when you add that up over a year, that’s an extra sack of rice or a payment for that loan we’re all trying to finish.

The Reality Check: Net Take Home Pay

Of course, we know that a "salary increase" often means a "tax increase" too. But with the adjustments in tax tables under the TRAIN Law, hopefully, our net take-home pay actually feels like an increase.

My advice? Don’t spend that increase yet! Wait for the official DBM circular. We know how strict they are with the "guidelines for implementation." Remember the delays in the differential pay last time? Lesson learned: Huwag muna mag-add to cart hangga't wala sa ATM!

Stay tuned here. As we get deeper into the year, I’ll post the full, official Salary Grade table for Teachers I-III and Master Teachers as soon as DBM releases the signed 2026 matrix.

Hanggang sa muli, Teachers!