To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Principals of Public Schools
All Others Concerned

1. Special Provision No. 2 concerning a Special Hardship Allowance on page 81 of Republic Act No. 8174, otherwise known as the 1996 General Appropriations Act (GAA), states that “The amount herein appropriated shall be used to pay the allowance of teachers exposed to hardship or extreme difficulty in the place of work and to teachers assigned to handle multi-grade classes as determined by the Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports.” Guidelines for availment of this allowance by multi-grade teachers is in a separate DECS Order. Accordingly, special hardship allowances for public school teachers assigned to hardship posts shall be computed and paid as described below, sample computation is shown in the attached Annex A.
2. Hardship posts are hereby defined as public schools which are accessible only by hiking, animal ride or banca ride, partly or wholly.
3. Hardship allowance shall be given to all teachers and principals assigned to hardship posts, whether resident or transient, regular or temporary, at the rate of six (6) percent per month of their basic monthly salary for each hour of hiking, animal ride or banca ride normally needed to reach their respective stations from the nearest point of available motorized land transport, provided that the aggregate allowance shall not exceed 25% of the annual basic salary. Fractions of an hour of qualified travel and ratios of days present to total class days shall be reckoned to the nearest peso, provided that qualified travel of less than one-third (1/3) of an hour or attendance ratio of less than one to three (1:3) for the month shall not be compensated.
4. Certifications as to qualified travel and attendance shall be submitted to the regional director by the division superintendent concerned using the prescribed form, sample attached, as basis for payment. Funds shall be sub-alloted and cash allocations obtained through the usual procedures, after verification, determination and submission of required amounts by the regional office or the division office. Payment shall be made by separate check issued to each qualified teacher either monthly or quarterly, or integrated into the basic salary check, whichever is more facilitative. Erroneous or fraudulent payment shall be subject to sanctions and penalties in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations.
5. Accrual of this allowance shall start with the School Year 1996-1997 and cover the period that a teacher is assigned to a hardship post as defined above.
6. This Order shall be effective immediately.

Incls.: As stated
References: DECS Order: No. 65, s. 1993
Unnumbered Memorandum dated June 17, 1994
Allotment: 1-2—(M.O. 1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
ALLOWANCE
TEACHERS

DO_s1996_073