Teachers attend their classrooms in their first face-to-face classes at the Francisco Legaspi Memorial School in Pasig City on November 2, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — A teachers' group on Tuesday urged the Civil Service Commission to suspend the implementation of a new dress code for teachers, saying it was not suited for the country's hot weather and would be an additional financial burden to educators.

CSC's Memorandum Circular No. 16, s. 2024, requires government employees to wear ASEAN-inspired attire every first Monday of the month and Filipiniana-inspired attire on the second to fourth Mondays. 

But Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) in a statement said the revised dress rules for public school teachers were "impractical" because of the lack of proper ventilation in many public schools as well as the physical demands of their duties.

"While we recognize the intent to promote cultural identity and professionalism, we respectfully assert that this specific mandate poses significant challenges, particularly for public school teachers," TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas said in the statement.

"Teachers are not stationary; most of us are constantly moving from one classroom to another or even from one building to another. Unlike many office personnel who perform their tasks in air-conditioned offices, teachers endure extreme heat, especially during the hottest months," he added.

The group also pointed out that the Department of Education had already prescribed specific uniforms for teachers that align with their professional identity. 

Basas said the new dress rules "would render these uniforms obsolete and force teachers to shoulder additional financial burdens to comply."

"In light of these considerations, we respectfully appeal for the suspension of this policy’s implementation or, at the very least, the adoption of practical modifications. Specifically, we request that public school teachers be exempted from the requirement to wear ASEAN or Filipiniana-inspired attire every Monday," he said.

The TDC nonetheless said it was willing to engage in further discussions with the CSC to address the issue. It added that it was also coordinating with the DepEd on how to respond to the policy.

"While the CSC stated that the circular may be implemented within a six-month period, many schools and offices have already compelled their teachers and staff to wear ASEAN-themed attire yesterday, January 6," the group said.

The DepEd previously prescribed 4 national uniforms for teachers to be worn from Monday to Thursday. Friday is designated as a wash day.

RELATED VIDEO: