Over 5,000 Cordilleran teachers set for salary hikes under Expanded Career Progression Program

Baguio City, Philippines – Public school teachers in the Cordillera can now move up several ranks at once and receive salary upgrades as the Department of Education (DepEd) begins implementing the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) Program this year.

The ECP Program is part of DepEd’s career reform initiative designed to streamline promotions and align teacher advancement with professional standards rather than position availability.

As reported by DepEd–CAR Regional Director Estela L. Cariño via PIA–Baguio during the Education Week celebration held on December 5 at the DepEd–CAR Regional Office in Wangal, La Trinidad, a total of 5,971 teachers across the region were submitted for reclassification under the ECP.

The move follows the announcement of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who recently signed into law Republic Act No. 12288, institutionalizing a competency-based career progression system for public school teachers and school leaders.

Of the total number, 640 teachers are from Tabuk City, 706 from Apayao, and 1,089 from Ifugao, with other divisions expected to follow. These teachers, according to the Department of Budget and Management–CAR (DBM–CAR), are expected to receive salary increases in line with the released Notice of Salary Classification Adjustment.

The initiative covers not only classroom teachers but also master teachers and school principals.

The launch of the ECP comes as DepEd–CAR continues to face a shortage of teachers, with 871 remote schools relying on volunteer teachers and personnel supported by local government units.

The agency is currently coordinating closely with the Civil Service Commission to ensure that all new appointments take effect by January 1, 2026.