American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR) 2023

American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR)

e-ISSN :2378-703X
Volume-07, Issue-02, pp-125-141
www.ajhssr.com
Research Paper Open Access

Strengths and Areas for Improvement towards Career

Advancement of Teachers in Coastal Schools
Jane B. Balisoro1 and Sherill A. Gilbas2
1
Sorsogon State University Graduate School, Sorsogon City and DepEd Matnog I District, Sorsogon
2
Sorsogon State University, Sorsogon City

ABSTRACT :This study aims to determine the challenges faced by the coastal schoolteachers of Matnog
District, Division of Sorsogon Province, school year 2021-2022. It used a survey questionnaire to identify the
demographic profile of the teachers and employed interview schedule through guide questions to collect real-life
experiences and narratives of the challenges, strengths and areas for improvement. Similarly, the primary
sources of data are the nine teaching personnel from Matnog I District and the six teaching personnel from
Matnog II District. Data from the demographic profile were tabulated, analysed and interpreted using
appropriate statistical tools such as frequency count and percentage. The study revealed that majority of the
informants are 31-35 years old, female, married, graduate of a baccalaureate degree, Teacher I for more than 5
years, have an adjectival rating of outstanding in the Individual Performance Commitment Review Form and
joined division level seminar. Moreover, the identified challenges are categorized into incomplete credentials
(master units and training/seminar), locale concern or proximity, budgetary or financial obligations, care
responsibilities, collective expectations and self-doubt. The strengths that was identified are age-group
resiliency, academic credentials, length of service, IPCRF rating and other ancillary involvements while the
areas that need to improve are gender roles/family obligations, academic credentials and professional
development accomplishments. A teacher development plan for teachers in the coastal schools in Matnog was
proposed to help the teachers be eligible for career advancement despite proximity issue.

KEYWORDS :strength, areas for improvement, career advancement, teachers, coastal schools

I. INTRODUCTION
In agreement with the universal notion that “Teaching is a noble profession", teachers have it all memorized.
Teaching as categorized as principled and upright, needs an individual who may uphold the virtues embedded
within its values and ideologies. Veugeler&Vedder (2010) stated that stimulation of values by the teacher
increases the active participation of students, thus promoting a classroom that does not only anchored on the
competencies but caters to the varied needs of the students.
Many people believe that education or teaching is the foundation of all other professions currently in existence,
as noted in the case study of Angelista (2018). Any structure built to be a foundation needs to be advantageous
to all. This is, through the years, the labeled concept of teaching, the substructure of all the objectives set by the
societal viewpoint. This was upheld by the study of Ishumi (2013) who stated that teaching is without a doubt
one of the five oldest and historically most influential professions in the world. Teachers do not just shape the
framework of students through rational aspects but comprehensively take part in conditioning the all-inclusive
characteristics of students to the ever-growing demand of society. It is the core of all other professions.
In the Philippines, which consists primarily of land and coastal regions, some teachers are assigned in schools
with easy access to travel, but some are not. Matnog, termed as a 3 rd class municipality in Sorsogon, holds the
busiest port in the region. Almost half of the total number of barangays in Matnog District is situated in the
coast. At present, there is an on-going road construction connecting the coastal schools in Matnog and Bulan.
This may lessen the travel time lost for traveling via motorboat which causes danger especially during weather
disturbances. Timbol, Jimenez, Labay, Manangu, Puno, Rojo, Vidal e.al (2020) categorized the difficulties of
teaching on the coast that are related to safe travel, communication options, a dearth of teaching resources, and
the socioeconomic position of the pupils. Additionally, Hipolito (2022) managed to highlight pandemic
challenges, as well as fulfilling encounters on the teacher's way to deliver quality education. He employed that
amidst the pandemic, teachers find ways to ensure the delivery of instruction and gained the challenges as
realizations to engage in reflective practices and plan for the improvement of pedagogical approaches.
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According to DepEd Order No. 66 series of 2007, certain qualifications must be met in order to advance from a
specific rank to a higher teaching position. The transcript of records or other academic credentials, eligibility
training, an updated service record, a performance rating for three consecutive years, a certificate of training and
seminars, and other pertinent documentary requirements to support the applicant's qualifications for promotion,
are some of the examples. These requirements are set forth to guarantee that applicants follow the most recent
developments in the industry and stand out for the position being sought for. Moreover, according to Ungar and
Elyashiv's (2018) journal article, teachers who feel more empowered, particularly in the areas of autonomy, self-
efficacy, and decision-making, are more motivated to pursue career advancements. This just implies that
teachers need to satisfactorily meet the expectations and qualifications to move to a higher rank. Also, Lup
(2018) noted that getting a promotion boosts job satisfaction, which has the knock-on impact of motivating
teachers to deliver successful lessons at all costs. This spurs teachers to create a fun environment that is shared
with students, co-workers, and school administrators and brought into the community.

Executive Order No. 174, which was issued in a timely manner, establishes new position titles, including Master
Teacher IV and V, Teacher IV, Teacher V, Teacher VI, and Teacher VII. This issuance visualizes and promotes
professional development and career advancement at a time when the career-line and merit-based career
progression have been drawn out for a long time. The stated Executive Order is anchored on the desire to reward
and compensate teachers according to their career paths and draw teaching professionals. It is only significant
that the goal of development should be on the expanding list of achievable goals given the abrupt changes and
innovation in society's perception of teachers. Coastal teachers must see the teaching profession as a path to
build their personal and professional progress despite proximity problems. Teachers must be prepared to meet
the difficulties and significantly adjust to these changes as part of the DepEd's vision and mission in order to
break the link of retirees at Teacher I.
II. METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This study determined the strengths and areas for improvement towards career advancement of teachers in the
coastal schools of Matnog District, Division of Sorsogon Province, school year 2021-2022. The research
considered the use of a quantitative and qualitative method. It utilized a questionnaire to identify the profile of
the coastal teachers in terms of age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, length of service, position, IPCRF
rating from the previous school year as well as training and seminars attended. The researcher also employed
interview schedule to gather the desired information that is necessary for the completion of the study.

The study involved a total of 15 school teaching personnel. Nine of them are teaching personnel from the coastal
schools of Matnog I District and six informants are teaching personnel from the coastal schools of Matnog II
District. Data from the demographic profile were tabulated, analyzed, and interpreted using appropriate
statistical tools such as frequency count and percentage.

The Informants
The purposively chosen informants in this study are the nine teaching personnel from Matnog I District and the
six teaching personnel from Matnog II District. These are composed of four males and 11 females. There are
seven informants whose age range from 21-30 and the remaining eight informants range from 31-56 years old.
Six teachers are single and nine are married. From the chosen informants, seven of them have master’s degree
unit and eight have a baccalaureate degree. Only one informant served for three years and below, 13 have four
to six years teaching experience and one informant served for 15 years. Most of them have professional ranks
which is Teacher 1, one informant as Teacher II and another one informant is Teacher III. Most of the
informants or 13 of them have an adjectival rating of Outstanding in the IPCRF, one is very satisfactory and the
remaining one teacher gained a satisfactory rating. Twelve of them has highest level of training in the division,
one in the region, one in the national level and the last one has an international training.

The informants were informed that their profile is confidential and that their real names will not be revealed in
the paper for the purpose of confidentiality. They were hinted with pseudonyms and only the first letter of their
names is the hint.

The Instrument
The study employed a survey questionnaire to determine the profile of the informants according to the variables
and guide questions for the interview schedule and assessed the discernments and self-interpretations of the
target informants on the issues that are addressed in the study. The informants individually answered the

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questionnaire to cover their age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, position, length of service, IPCRF
rating from the previous school year, and the highest level of training and seminars attended. This is not
included in the interview guide.
The guide questions in Part II are about the challenges faced by the teachers towards career advancement as well
as the strengths and areas for improvement based on the DepEd guidelines for career advancement. The
questions are open-ended and so the informants are not required to give specific response. Each question is
expected to have a follow-up query to elicit organized responses from the informants. The questions are
designed to analyze the challenges, strengths, and areas for improvement of the informants relative to the focus
of the study. (Please see Appendix C.)

Data Collection Procedures

Prior to the completion of the study, the researcher prepared the relevant documents and communication letters
addressed to the Office of the Superintendent of the concerned schools, as well as the Public School District
Supervisors of the two districts of Matnog. The school heads of the target school were also given letters for
proper guidance. The survey or interview schedule was shared with the informants so they may confirm their
availability on that day.

Upon the approval of the letters from all the concerned offices, the researcher visited the target coastal schools
and distributed the questionnaires to the informants for them to answer. The researcher conducted an interview
using the guide questions to identify the different challenges of the teacher informants in the pursuit of career
advancement as well as the strengths and areas that they may improve based on the guidelines stipulated in the
merit system.

The researcher gave them ample time to answer the survey questionnaire. The management of the interview was
conducted on September 26-October 14, 2022. Questions from the interview guide were translated into the local
dialects for better and more objective responses.

The researcher asked permission from the informants to utilize a phone recorder for better transliterating and
decoding. However, due to an unforeseen circumstance, the researcher was not able to use her phone recorder to
some of the informants since it was accidentally dropped on the seaside. Nevertheless, the informants’ responses
are all considered for a better organization in the paper.

The interview took place for an hour, in the respective classrooms of the informants, on the above-mentioned
dates. The interview took place after class.

Data Analysis Procedures

The information gathered from the teacher-informants based on their demographic profile was tabulated,
analyzed and interpreted using frequency count and percentage. The narrations from the challenges faced by the
teachers were grouped into motifs and themes. They were presented according to the number of responses
acquired. The strengths and areas for improvement are also tabulated and then thematically analyzed into
categories. The responses were recorded along with the assigned hint of each informant. They were clustered
cautiously for a thematic analysis. The analysis of the narratives fell in their respective cluster.

II. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

1. Profile of the Elementary Teachers in Coastal Schools

This section presented the profile of elementary coastal school teachers in Matnog I and II Districts that involves
age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, length of service, position, IPCRF rating, training and seminars.
Frequency count and percentage were also presented for a clearer understanding of the researcher.

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Table 1 :Profile of Elementary Coastal School Teachers

Categories Frequency Percentage

(n = 15) (%)
Age
25 and below
26-30 2 13
31-35 5 33
41-45 6 40
51 and above 1 7
1 7
Sex
Male 4 27
Female 11 73
Civil Status
Single 6 40
Married 9 60
Highest Educational Attainment
College Graduate 8 53
With units in MA 7 47
Length of Service
0-3 years 1 7
4-6 years 13 87
16 and above 1 7
Position
Teacher I 13 87
Teacher II 1 7
Teacher III 1 7
IPCRF Rating (S.Y. 2021-2022)
Outstanding 13 87
Very Satisfactory 1 7
Satisfactory 1 7
Highest Level of Training Attended
Division 12 80
Regional 1 7
National 1 7
International 1 7

Table 1 shows the profile of elementary coastal teachers in terms of age, sex, civil status, highest educational
attainment, length of service, position, IPCRF rating from the previous school year and the highest level of
training or seminar attended.

From the gathered data, majority of the coastal school teachers who were conveniently chosen as study
informants are between the ages of 31 and 35 or 40% of the total population. It was followed by informants who
are teachers between the ages of 25 and 30 or 33% and who are between the ages of 41 and 45 and 51 or older
both with 13% from the total population. It can be gleaned that out of 15 informants, 11 of the total frequency
count or 73% were females and four or 27% were males. Nine out of 15 informants or 60% the total population
are married and the remaining six informants or 40% are single.

The tabulated result for the teacher informants from the coastal schools with the highest educational
achievement is displayed in the table. As can be seen, eight out of 15 informants, or about 53% of the overall
population, holds a baccalaureate degree, while the remaining seven informants, or roughly 47% of the
population, and have completed master's-level coursework. None of them obtained a post-graduate degree.

Concerning the length in the teaching profession, the table displays that most of the teacher-informants, or 87%
had already situated themselves in the profession for 4-6 years. This involves 13 out of 15 informants. The other
two informants fall on 0-3 years and 16 and above years in teaching, respectively or seven percent of the total
population.

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Shown in the table is the huge gap of teachers when it comes to career advancement. The position of teachers
with the highest number is Teacher I which covers almost 87% of the total population. It consists of 13
informants. Two of the remaining informants were Teachers II and III.
Thirteen out of 15 informants or almost 87% succeeded to secure their aim for career advancement having an
outstanding rating in the Individual Performance Commitment Review Form for the school year 2021-2022.
One or seven percent got a very satisfactory rating, and another one informant had a satisfactory rating.

The table shows the highest level of trainings attended by teachers in the coastal school, in the previous years.
Twelve out of 15 informants or almost 80% have division-level training. One informant, equivalent to seven
percent made it to the regional level, another informant or seven percent of the total population joined national
level and another one informant successfully attended international level training.

2. Challenges faced by teachers in the coastal schools for career advancement

Every teacher faces challenges in terms of career advancement. Whether teachers from the coast or inland
schools, teachers are not exempted from the demands of the profession to progress. Such predisposition may be
an obligation of the teacher because they thought of their learners. Such hitches are affected by certain elements
that enable the teacher to aim for or apply for career advancement.

Table 2 shows the different factors that hinders in career advancement. These factors include incomplete
credentials (specifically master units and training), locale concern or proximity, budgetary or financial
obligations, care responsibilities, collective expectations, and self-doubt.

Table 2 :Challenges faced by Teachers for Career Advancement

Challenges Themes / Motifs
Incomplete credentials Lack of master’s degree unit
Deficiency of division, regional, national, and
international seminars
Local Concern or Fare hikes
Proximity Difficulty in the process of transfer of station
Budgetary or Financial Obligations Family expenses
School-related expenses
Care responsibilities Family Commitments
Household Obligations
Collective expectations Societal Expectations
Self-expectations
Incomplete credentials – master’s degree units and deficiency of professional development

To validate the teacher's suitability for the role, numerous prerequisites are necessary for career advancement. In
addition to having a goal of advancing in one's career, may need to become competent. This is done to ensure
that, after career advancement, a teacher may exemplify the department's goal and vision by embodying the core
values of a professional educator.

Master’s degree units

One of the requirements for career advancement is graduating from a master’s degree program or gaining at
least 18 units. Seeking a different graduate school program might need perseverance and initiative. Seligman
(2013) described the decision-making process in graduate school as daunting and complex. It requires courage
and determination. This may be the reason why educators view graduate school as seemingly difficult to
accomplish without even trying. However, once inside the program, the experience is way better than what they
imagine. It was never daunting and complex, but rather, fulfilling and gratifying. Seligman also mentioned the
term “new knowledge” which connotes the advanced and reshaped knowledge that explains why the experience
of enrolling in graduate school is unique.

The prior knowledge gained from the baccalaureate degree is moved forward and expanded. Fortunate are those
young and able individuals who invest in enrolling for master’s degree years after their college because they
have the luxury of time to waste in preparation for career advancement. The following statements show the
narration of Teacher Nicole:

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Ako po talaganagkamayon sin kusog sin boot mag- [I had the courage to enroll in MA classes because
enroll samasteral kay an mga batchmates ko san my high school and college batch mates will be my
highschool nan college magigingkaklase ko and classmates in MA. They are also the ones who
sinda man po Maám an nan encouragesaako. kaya encouraged me so, I decided to enroll too. It is a
nag-enroll na din ako. So far, good decision man po good decision because I can focus more on my
an hinimo ko napagenrolkasinakakafocus po ako. graduate school requirements.]
The statement of Teacher Nicole implies that post-graduate studies may be influenced by certain individuals that
can help them decide on the goals they want to achieve. This was supported by the study of Lunceford (2013)
that views students, who have no idea about graduate school, may ask themselves and their mentors when
considering graduate school. This is because graduate school is a massive and multifaceted trench that requires
preparation and supervision.

In their study of graduate programs and students, Baum and Steele (2017) characterized college graduates fare
much better than those without degrees. Given that more students are pursuing post-graduate education and long
into more specialized degrees and programs today, the master’s degree is the new bachelor’s degree which could
mean that students in the 21st century should invest more in completing two degrees rather than relying on one
degree for their career and professional advancement. It alludes to the outdated notion of professional
development that one degree suffices. There can never be a motion to stop. A teacher may always look and find
ways to progress in the profession.

Through this generation’s appreciation of expanding their knowledge and skills, it is important that teachers
may also go with the flow of such expansion. High societal expectations situate teachers in the condition
wherein they should uphold change and enhancement all throughout their teaching career.

One particular reason why teacher relentlessly pursue professional development is to secure their edge for career
advancement. The study shows that married teachers have fewer opportunities for post-graduate studies since
they are balancing personal and family undertakings as well as monetary investments.

Graduate school, as described by Garland (2022) is a big investment of money, time, and intellectual energy. In
order to recoup the investment, the students are instructed to transition their grade-focused perspective to
professional and personal development. In this approach, graduate school will be a platform for successful
employment, and professional growth, and for professionals who wish to pursue career advancement. Most of
the teachers pour effort into enrolling in graduate school programs that are aligned with their career path.
Being a four-year employee, Teacher Mark, intended to enroll in graduate school this year. According to him,
Mag-iponnang mag-iponmuna [Save money first]. That was his response when the researcher asked how he
will cope with the expenses of a graduate school. Saving money enables him to fully pursue and complete the
program on schedule. He thought that since budgets are tight and unforeseen expenses are difficult to cover,
saving and creating a budget for post-graduate coursework will solve all his problems. Apart from that, he also
considered that saving enough money before enrolling in graduate school may also save him time since
teachers’ workloads nowadays are quite draining and demanding.
This implies that one may continue a post-graduate degree once they planned a career path and started preparing
early. One of the preparations that a teacher may be done is to visualize post-graduate expenses which include
tuition fees, other student fees, fair and other incidental inclusions for every semester. Other unforeseen outlays
may be saved for future reference.

Deficiency of Professional Development Ancillaries

Aside from the heated timetables of delivering instruction, teachers are also encouraged to attend seminars,
training, and workshops to improve their way of teaching. These other school-related activities make way for
teachers to be able to assess themselves on what are the things they need to improve and how long their
instruction be modified to the greater benefit of the learners. One of the goals of the department is to make sure
that teachers become effective communicators of quality education for learners. In order to craft the teachers’
methods and techniques in teaching, orientation and training are conducted to prepare the teachers for the
globally increasing needs of diverse learners. Most of the training for teachers is free, so teachers must see this
as an opportunity to fill information gaps. However, not all teachers are given equal chances for a higher level of
training/seminars. As what Teacher Rina narrated:

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Wara man kami sin mgapanglabanlalonasa trainings. [We do not have any training certificate to present. We
Di man kami nagtitraining, yadtonasayo mi na co- do not usually attend training, except our one co-
teacher nalang. Nan di man kami nagtrysidanamga teacher. We did not try attending international seminars
international kay an iba may bayad nan mahal man. since it is costly.]

This implies that high-level seminars are not equally distributed especially to teachers on the coast where
location is a problem. Teachers from inland schools may be regarded as the ones who have a high chance to
become participants in this training. This may be observed as such location from the coast are far and
treacherous for teachers to travel and attend training. Likewise, attendance from these training may be charged
to school MOOE, however, not all schools allot necessary budgets for this. As a result, not all teachers are sent
to attend and participate in these training and seminars. This problem may pave the way for the proposal of
faculty development program that may cater the need of the teachers for professional development training and
seminars.

Meanwhile, Teacher Claris views this constraint as somewhat budgetary. Higher-level seminars are costly as
participants need to prepare for accommodation and other incidental expenses. This claim was supported by
Mark (2014) who claims that given the status of the economy and budget cuts, finding funds and assistance is
crucial. School districts may find innovative ways to finance and promote productive professional development
initiatives. Among these are creating technological resource centers, looking for funding agencies, and asking
people and businesses to support and finance.

This implies that higher level of training and seminars requires high monetary amount. A teacher who may want
to join these trainings might think of saving money ahead of time to secure a slot for these trainings. This might
be added to the uncontrolled pile of workloads that are waiting to be finished. Furthermore, school and district
offices may look for other pioneering acts of development programs to cater the needs of teachers for
professional development training and seminars.

Locale concern or proximity – unstoppable fare hike and difficulty on applying for transfer of station.
The distance between schools, limited the teachers in coastal schools’ ability to organize the necessary
documentary requirements for career advancement, despite how they have a strong desire to prepare papers and
requirements for career advancement. This problem has doubled twice or three times since the pandemic
happened.

Fare Hikes
Fare hikes and troubling health concerns make it difficult for teachers to move freely without hesitation. On the
onset of the pandemic, fares have doubled or even increased a hundred percent from the previous years. Teacher
Rona quoted:

[It is favorable for me since my school assignment is

Mayadkunta kay haranilang an school ko sabalay ko. near my address. The only problem is when there are
Anproblema man kapag may mgapapelnakaipuhan ka papers or necessary documents in the district or
bisayonsa district or sa division division office that I need to submit cannot be
ngayadirimomaayosayosagadkasibukodsamapagalon processed immediately since the route is so difficult
an kabyahe, mahalon an pamasahelaloniyanna to travel and the fare doubled its price since the
pandemic. Doble an magagastos. pandemic strikes.]

This entails that even those teachers assigned in their locality is still deprived of ease for career advancement.
Their localization issue and being a resident in the coast delays undertaking that involves career advancement
responsibility.

It was addressed by the study of Lariosa, Diendo and Espinosa (2022) which discourse the lifestyle of teachers
in remote locations and portray it as a depiction of the sacrifices that the teacher might make to sustain the needs
of the learners. These teachers are frequently dealing with unforeseen circumstances, altered plans, and
character changes. They are the most deprived of leeway to shape their career because they have been dealing
with different cultures. This also employs growth as they learn how to be resilient and determined in imparting
knowledge to the learners. Teachers’ commitment and dedication have been more developed.

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The study of Timbol, Jimenez, Labay, Manangu, Francisco, Puno, Rojo et.al (2020) pointed out the challenges
that teachers in the coastal schools have experienced. Some of these are safety in traveling, inadequate
instructional resources, and with the difficulty in communication. Since they reside in the coast, they cannot
receive up-to-date information which can prolong the process of gathering the prerequisites for career growth.

Difficulty in the process of transfer of station

Teachers who live away from the coast are looking for opportunities for a transfer of station. Teacher-
informants see this situation also as a chance for them to be able to prepare for career advancement and
professional growth. However, some of them reached five years or more but applications are not granted. There
are various reasons such as the availability of station to be transferred and lack of teachers who are willing to be
negotiated for transfer. As localization is concern, a teacher may be assigned in his/her locality.

Teacher Janice saw this situation as a challenge that needs to be addressed through her suggested remedy, as she
says: Mapalipat station. Mapatransfer [Apply for transfer of station]. It was her response when asked what she
thinks she needs to do to pursue career advancement. She might think that the distance makes it hard for
someone to move freely because proximity-wise, travel time may be a wasted time. Looking into the
localization of the teachers assigned in the coastal schools, most of the informants live in other connected
municipalities and they travel more than an hour to be in their station.

Budgetary / Financial Obligations – Family expenses and school-related expenses.

Fixing finances to meet both ends is quite difficult and griming/ No matter how tightly a person holds the pay
against the expenses, it could not cover all of the expenditures. This is one of the themes generated from the
informants.

Family Expenses
One of the challenges towards career advancement is the deficiency of salary, because of unforeseen
circumstances. This is another reason why teachers are discouraged to apply for career advancement. In order to
cater the requirements needed for professional growth, a person must be financially capable since post-graduate
studies and professional development are an investment of money. Teacher Linda sees this predicament as a
barrier to career advancement even though she once imagines it.

MinsankasiMaámmaski gusto ko man mag apply sun

na promotion, daghanon an isiponna requirements. [There are times when wanted to try to apply for
Syemprebaga di ka man makabisay san requirements promotion but there are certain that needs a lot of
kunwara ka kwarta. Lalo pa preparation. If you do not have enough money, it is
saamonamedyoguranggurangna, daghanonna an impossible to get those.]
dapatgastusantapos may loan pa.

The implication of the statement creates a disagreement to the notion that career advancement is for all. This
means that in the light of career advancement in the country, there are still teachers who are deprived of this
privilege. While it is acceptable that every teacher is entitled for career advancement, not all are privileged to a
position adjustment.

Meanwhile, as it is ironically viewed, money is an obstruction to career advancement, however, it is also one of
the reason why teachers aim for it. As what Teacher Lina commented:

Syempre gusto ko man

magpapromotekasimaskipapanomadadagdagan an [Of course I wanted to be promoted because
salary. Nan dakodakoyadtonadanon para somehow there’s an increase in the salary. It is a big
saatoMaámkasiaram ta man baganadiri man help for us since we all know that teacher’s salary is
talagahitaas an salary ta as T-I. not that high.]

This simply implies that one of the reasons why teachers pursue career advancement is for economic intentions.
Teacher I, receiving Salary Grade 11 may not be enough for a married teacher with children who have school
fees to cover. As shown in Table 1, most of the teachers are married and, in such instances, salary may not be
sufficient. Salary adjustment is one of the main reasons why teachers aim for career advancement. Needless to
say, a teacher’s salary cannot meet both ends. The study by Asaari&Desa (2018) explores the impact of the
reward system as a motivation for teachers in performing their jobs. Once the teacher is promoted, it adds up to
the intrinsic factor for teachers to do better in delivering instructions. The teacher is much more motivated to do
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better in classroom instruction and may denote power. Additionally, Asaari&Desa(2018) stated that the delay in
career advancement can cause poor motivation among employees. An interruption and the factors that affect the
teacher’s aim for career advancement may result in less inspired professionals and stimulate less attention to
career advancement. It can result to a reduced amount of drive toward pedagogical progression and
involvement.

This claim was reinforced by the study by Nagaraju (2016) which stated that compensation and rewards have a
favorable impact on teachers’ performance. It gives employees a sense of satisfaction and it sustains their daily
needs. An advancement in position is entitled to salary augmentation. An increase in salary grade level makes
the teacher ecstatic once they hear the word “career advancement”. True enough, an advancement in position
simply means a salary increment.

School-related expenses
Apart from family expenses, teachers spend money on classroom structures and other supplies for better
teaching and learning experience. Teacher Klara views this scenario as “dipisil’ [difficult]as teachers spend
personal money on classroom structures. The word implies difficulty in saving money for other career
advancement purposes.

Ansahodnalangminsan an nagagastospampagayonsa [Sometimes, salary is used for classroom

classroom kay diri man enough an MOOE para beautification since school MOOE is not enough to
sagabosna teachers. cater every teacher’s need.]

The statement expresses the difficulty of the teachers in budgeting their monthly salary as they wanted to allot a
portion of it for classroom structures. In order to see classroom improvement, teachers allocate a budget at their
own expense for learners to have a conducive classroom experience.

Moreover, a bill seeking salary adjustment for teachers has been filed recognizing the dedication of the teachers
to commensurate the workload. The Salary Standardization Law, which was signed by the former president,
Rodrigo Duterte, grants salary increases for government employees and provides modification and additional
benefits to upgrade the standard of living of government employees. This may also provide the teachers with a
just compensation of their dedication in entailing quality education to the learners even under pressure. This
hopes to yield positive results on their work output and organizational commitment. Through this, the teacher
may be guaranteed additional compensation that can at least lessen the burden of teachers coping with a small
amount of salary.

Care Responsibilities – Family commitments and household obligations.

One of the toughest opponents to career advancement and all the requirements it entail is family commitments
and household obligations. A teacher works day and night to provide a sustainable life for their family and given
the opportunity to choose between the two, the family always prevails.

Family Commitments
Teacher Janice has a two-year old son, whom she leaves in the care of her mother. She works in a
coastal school, and she only have two days to spend with her child. At home, she needs to do household chores
since her mother is elderly and her husband is working oversees.

Pag mapapromote ka kaipuhannagmasteral ka

[If you have educational responsibilities, you can no
maeskwela ka so ansapageskwelapalangsabalay di ka
longer do housekeeping. Processing the requirements is
namakaubra. Anpag-asikaso sin mgapapel. Di man
difficult due to the volume of demand. [Time may have
madali kay medyodurudaghan. Pag abotsabalaymao
been devoted to children.]
man gihaponimbisnaialaganalangsabata.

This implies the struggle of a teacher weighing both maternal parents to her child/children at home and students
at school. A teacher hopes to hone the capability of the learners and equally refine the holistic development of
her child/children. Once a teacher tries building a home, their family takes precedence over their own personal
and professional growth. Their children are the focus of all their hopes and theirs are stockpiled, ready to be
stimulated. The course of action is not to eradicate and consume the choices they had to make but to
contemplate the developments that are to follow once a conclusion has been made.
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Household Obligations
Primacies are driven in a new direction, and it means taking care of the household. Since most of the married
teachers have children, they are susceptible in taking care of their abode. It includes cleaning the entire house,
cooking, washing the dishes, washing, and ironing clothes as well as running errands for the family. These
chores imply the huge part that teachers need to fulfil as a sole subject in honing a family.

Household chores are donned to the teachers, especially female teachers since societal views female teachers to
do domestic responsibilities. As it was noted in the demographic profile, there is a domination of female teacher
informants. They are the sole authority and primary persona who’s obliged to maintain the household. Teacher
Lina stated Pagal ka nasaeskwelahan, pagal ka pa sabalay. [You’re tired at school and equally tired at home].
The statement conversed that teachers are tired of all school workloads, and they are equally tired of all their
household obligations. Female married individuals are tired of all these commitments.

These challenges are stated by Prikhidko and Haynes (2018) who discovered that student mothers perceive
balancing both worlds as perplexing. In order to overcome these challenges, student-mothers may
compartmentalize and alter their behavior and thinking. This involves separating and balancing life experiences
preventing maternal emotions to intervene in graduate school. Harmonizing motherhood duties and career
undertakings, both at the same time can be exhausting for women teachers. This requires a lot of hard work and
determination to rise above challenges.

This implies that balancing household and school obligations is laborious, and thus, compiling requirements for
career advancement may not be in their goals yet.

Collective expectations – societal expectations and self-anticipations

Teachers are society’s actress and actresses, they hold the limelight every time. Every move has equal verdicts,
and all alterations are recorded.

Societal Expectations
Teacher Lara believes that one should be capable enough to handle situations above certain difficulties because
society’s judgments are exclusive of the good and bad decisions made and never the experience story of success.
This is how she recounted and shared thoughts on her previous experiences.

Degraded ka kay an expectation saimobagangrabe. Never been promoted means you are degraded. Just like
Bagan parehosidtonanakaagipag T-I ka ay akay T-I lang the last time, if you are a Teacher I people will look at
nan diriaram an reason behind or kaya kapag T-III you differently without the reason behind not being
nankapag T-III an hapotmaoyun an T-III? able to advance in the career. If you are already
Nakaybaganmaluya man. promoted, people will expect more and mostly give
prejudices to your inability.

This implies how society’s outlook may greatly affect someone’s confidence and development. The remarks can
either make or undermine someone’s self-assurance but whichever it may lead, it should always aid in carrying
out positive initiatives. A position should never be an intention to defame any profession and should not be
thrown against the person’s competency and credibility as an educator. One must be conscious that all teachers,
whether they have received career advancements, or not, represent the department in resonating the competency
of the curriculum.

Self-anticipation

The most powerful blockade one could ever have, in any scenario, is doubting thyself. People will always say
offensive, unsolicited and derogatory remarks but all will fade through time. However, doubting thyself for
something they always wanted creates a massive influence on the things they can and might have. Teacher Klara
claims that ever since she began teaching, her family and co-workers have been nothing but encouraging.
However, she doubts herself as she pursues career promotion.
Akokunta gusto ko namanmagpapromote. [I already wanted to apply for promotion. However, my
Kasobagannaibahanako kay diri pa man akoawatsa length of service was not that long enough. People will
service. Aram ko an iisiponsida san ibanatawobadian comment on me saying that I only enrolled in masteral
promotion lang an habol ko kaya akonagteacher nan nag- for promotion, even if it not.]
adalmasteral. Eh di man.

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 American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR) 2023

This implies that such comments make it difficult for someone to carve their career as much as they want to
improve it. A higher position requires a high level of pedagogical and instructional skill. A high position
indicates that they succeeded in the expectations thrown at them and excelled in giving all the best possible way
to be at their position. With all these demands, the teachers’ capacity to pursue career advancement may either
be enhanced or diminished.
In order to overcome this kind of weight that the teachers carry, Teacher Ana believes that moral support and
encouragement from family and co-workers is a great motivation. One ineffective move can remove all their
potential acts. Words of affirmation cannot assure to bring the teacher to a successful path for career
advancement, but somehow it brings light and hope to a dimming trail no one wants to take. Boosting one’s self-
confidence makes it easier for someone to achieve something. It takes no amount to say good words to someone.

Moral support and advice kun nano an mgakaipuhan. [We need moral support and advice on what paper we
Wara sin taraguan. Syempre support na din san co- need to prepare. There should be no hiding of
teacher, san mgakaipuhannamga requirement. Nan requirements. And of course, there should always be
syemprekaipuhan man sin diyonatulak para maboost that one pushing element to boost the confidence.]
an confidence.

Through encouraging words, teachers are explicitly motivated. They are even invigorated for more career
advancements all throughout their teaching scheme.

3.Teacher’s Strengths and Areas for Improvement based on DepEd Guidelines for Career Advancement.

The updated procedures for the appointment and career advancement of the teaching and non-teaching group
were published by DepEd Order No. 66 Series of 2007. The right of every teacher to career advancement based
on qualifications and abilities of the personnel to improve the social and economic status, terms of employment,
and career prospects of public school teachers is mandated also in Section V, Article XIV of the Constitution,
and Republic Act 4670, or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers. Additionally, this draws qualified
professionals into the field of teaching.

New position titles were generated because of the release of the Expanded Career Progression System for Public
School Teachers, and they may be added to the list of existing job categories. Former President Rodrigo Roa
Duterte signed this executive order, which may open prospects for merit-based job advancement and broaden
the teaching profession line. The teachers are provided a wide range of teaching roles as a result, may also
improve their prospects of applying for a better post.

The strengths and areas for improvement of the teachers in the coastal schools are grouped and tabulated below.

Table 3 :Strengths and Areas for Improvement of Teachers inCoastal Schools

Strengths Areas for Improvement

Age-group resiliency Gender role / family situation
Academic credentials Academic Credentials
Length of Service Professional Development
IPCRF Rating
Other ancillary involvements

Strengths of Teachers in Coastal Schools for Career Improvement.

The teachers from the coastal elementary schools identified their strengths in pursuit of career advancement.
These are age, academic credentials, length of service, IPCRF rating, professional development, and other
ancillary involvements.

Age-group resiliency. Table 1 portrays the age of the teachers in coastal schools. It was found out that teachers
assigned in the coastal schools are from ages ranging 21-35 years old. This implies that most of the informants
belong to the age group who are adaptable and is resilient even though they are assigned in the coast.

Teacher Abner told the researcher that most of the newly hired teachers are assigned to the coast since they have
a few family obligations than those middle-aged ones. According to him, pagmgabagotalaga, sa coastal
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 American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR) 2023
inaassign[New teachers are usually assigned in the coastal school]. He refers to newly hired and young teachers
who are usually appointed in the coast since they are young and can travel with ease. This indicates that young
and single teachers are perceived to perform better and can be tasked simultaneously since they do not have
family commitments left at home.

On the other hand, Powney, Wilson, Hall, Davidson and Kirk (2021) stated that teachers who have already
reached the peak of length in their teaching position saw this age as their career resting phase and career
advancement does not attract them anymore. This means that they may be able to realize the importance of
career advancement since they are already satisfied with their current position.

This implies that young teachers are perceived to be much more engrossed in career advancement since they
believed that they may be adaptable and resilient in preparing for the documentary requirements needed for
career advancement; while those teachers who already spent long years in the service sees no importance to
pursue career advancement because they imagine their age as deterrent.

Academic Credentials. A unit or a certification from the graduate school stating that an applicant earns the
required units for a particular position is necessary for the application for career advancement. Table No. 1
depicts the highest educational attainment of the teacher-informants. Almost half of them earned units in
graduate school which they think is much needed for career advancement. Teachers devote their time to
schooling because it involves a lot of planning, financial assets, time, and patience. Teacher Suzy narrated:
Syempre as a teacher, kaipuhan ta mag
enrolsamasteralkasimaoone wayyadto para maimprove [As a teacher, we need to enroll in a graduate school
ta an sadiri ta at the same time magka chance man program since it is a way to improve ourselves and at
pagpapromote. the same time, we can have a chance to be promoted.]

This implies that teachers are knowledgeable of the importance of post-graduate studies when aiming for career
advancement. Teachers are aware of the benefit of having a master’s degree as seemingly noticeable in the
demographic profile of the teachers where almost half of the informants have master’s degree unit.
As eloquently stated by Schmidt and Zuzovsky (2018), formal education from primary to university, specialized
programs, and professional training are the main elements of a teacher’s progression. This means that a
structured school foundation is one of the aspects that determine the capacity of the teacher for career
advancement. Once the teacher has been equipped with coordinated organization, he/she will develop skills that
will alleviate their way of doing things.

This would also mean that advancement may take place only if the teachers are aware and are willing to undergo
post-graduate studies as part of their career goals. This is equally important as it can improve the teacher’s prior
knowledge and skills.

The researcher found out that marital status of the informants greatly affects this verdict. Teacher Janice
articulately said, Mapagalkapag may inpapadudo. [It is difficult for lactating mothers] or simply described the
difficulty of enrolling for post-graduate study when a teacher has a newborn child. The abovementioned
narration expresses her reason of not enrolling for post-graduate studies. Single teachers have a leeway in terms
of their post-graduate studies as they are not obliged to family obligations. On the other hand, married teachers
are not guaranteed with a maximum time to use for advance studies. Married teachers are caught with household
obligations and rearing their children.

Moreover, as marital status is concerned, most of the married individuals are female. Thus, they are
interconnected with the difficulty of enrolling for post-graduate studies.

Length of Service. One of the requirements for career advancement is to secure an updated service record from
the division office to which an applicant opted to apply. Most of the informants, as shown in Table 1 or the
demographic profile of teachers, are eligible for career advancement when the span of employment is involved
since they are teaching for more than three years.

Most of the informants believe that an applicant needs to have an intensive and profound understanding of the
curriculum, and this will be gained through the years of service they spent teaching. One may be engrossed in
the profession once they already feel the sense of delivering quality instruction and honing the holistic
development of the learners. This is how Teacher Janice view the situation:

[Maybe one of my personal advantages for promotion

A J H S S R J iso my
u r years
n a l of teaching experience. You Pcan
a gonly
e |say
136
that you are ready for a vaster responsibility when you
already experienced teaching.]
 American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR) 2023

Siguro ang years ko nasa service ansayo ko na edge.

Masasabimolang man na ready ka nasa mas dakona
responsibility kapagnaexperiencemona an pagtukdo.

The statement implies the competency of the teacher may be viewed on the years they spent teaching. When the
teacher is already engrossed in the system, it is the only time that they may realize how the profession works and
how it affects the learners in their educational undertakings. It is also the time when they may realize that they
are ready for career advancement together with the responsibility it holds. This claim was supported by the
study of Unal and Unal (2018) who claimed that experienced teacher is more likely to be in control of the
classroom than beginning teachers while making decisions. There is a certain path that teachers follow
throughout their teaching careers and they have more tendency of altering their classroom management beliefs
at different levels of experience.
The researcher found out that it is not relative to the length of service in the schools they are assigned on the day
of the interview. Whether or not they teach in another school from their previous years, still the length of service
counts starting from their first appointment.

IPCRF Rating. Every year, teachers are busy compiling attachments to be affixed to the Individual
Performance Commitment Review Form (IPCRF), which may serve as the foundation for the evaluation of the
teacher's performance from the prior academic year. This serves as the rationale for giving the Performance-
Based Bonus (PBB), a supplementary compensation paid to employees of a department in acknowledgment of
their exceptional performance as indicated by the IPCRF evaluation. The PBB is based on the cumulative
ratings a teacher receives after compiling the necessary documents written in the IPCRF portfolio for the school
year. The rating has an impact on pay which can help the teachers greatly since it may be equivalent to almost a
hundred percent of the salary. Teacher Janice narrated:

An IPCRF pwede ko siyamagamit for promotion kay [I can use my IPCRF rating since I gained an
hitag-as akodidto, outstanding. Dapathitag-as an rating outstanding rating there. Rating should be high so
para hitag-as man an PBB namakukuha. that the equivalent PBB is high also.]

Once a teacher gains a high adjectival rating in the IPCRF after the school year, they are entitled to an
equivalent pay depending on the rating which serves as a motivation for teachers to aim and do better on the
next school year. According to Rodriguez and Cudiamat's (2021) study on the effects of motivational factors on
teaching performance, they discovered that motivated teachers had adjectival ratings of very satisfactory on their
IPCRF in terms of their profession, health and wellness, social connections, and personal attributes. This implies
that career-driven teachers are more motivated to pursue a higher performance rating because they may be
enthralled in numerous school-related activities which connotes active participation and innovative teaching
practices.
This may also imply that once a teacher has done an exemplary performance, they have more documents to be
attached to the IPCRF that and may get a high adjectival rating for the school year since there are numerous
objectives to be complied and all of it needs MOVs. This may include school-related activities and other
community-related linkages.

In addition to the compensation that the teacher will receive for performing at a greater extent, this will also
serve as a foundation for career advancement. The applicant must receive an adjectival rating ranging from Very
Satisfactory (3.5-4.4), to Outstanding (4.5-5.0), for three years in a row. A teacher who receives this kind of
rating has demonstrated an exceptional degree of dedication in terms of the quality, technical abilities, and
knowledge displayed in all important areas. This also signifies that all or nearly all of the objectives from the
previous academic year have been met.

It can be inferred from Table 1 that majority of the teachers garnered an outstanding and very satisfactory rating.
This means that the informants from coastal elementary schools are eligible for career advancement in terms of
their IPCRF rating.

As mentioned in the study of Burgos and Meer (2021), there are certain determinants that affect the IPCRF in
the job satisfaction of elementary teachers. Some of these are limited to, person, school, student, and
community-related determinants. These factors, which center on job security, work environment, job
responsibilities, and community attachments/linkages, have an impact on teachers' job satisfaction.

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Ancillary Involvements. It is a good indicator of community and teacher relationships when the teachers are
invited and enjoined in community involvements. Teachers from the coast live in the coast and they are a
product of warm welcome and hospitality of the people in the barangay. Teacher Carla mentioned that
her school head is the wife of their barangay captain as she narrated:

Si Madam bagaasawanikapitan kaya everytimena [My school head is the spouse of the barangay captain.
may activity didipirmi kami invited. Taposkapag may We were always invited in any activity in the barangay.
mga need kami nadanon from the barangay If we need something from them, they are always ready
daghanon an danunnira. Pareho sun to extend their help. Even the GulayansaPaaralan,
nasaGulayansaPaaralan, parents sida an nag parents are the sole persona who takes good care of it.]
aasikasotalaga.
This implies that good community rapport is sign of good facilitator and other school undertakings. It is found
out that there is no direct impact whether a teacher serves in the position for long years, or not, young teachers
can also feel the cordiality of all the members of the community.

On the other hand, IPCRF rating is influenced by community involvements. This was reflected on the objective
number 15 of the IPCRF which aims to foster harmonious relationship with the stakeholders. Moreover, a
connection between teachers and community stakeholders is a good indication of professionalism.

Areas for Improvement towards Career Advancement of Teachers.

There are identified factors under areas that can be improved, relative to career advancement of teachers in the
coastal schools. They include gender role, family situation, academic credentials, and professional development.

Gender role and family situation. As a profession that has been dominated by female teachers, these was one
factor that hinders their pursuit of career advancement. Female is a seemingly discerned gender as the sole
individual who are given the role in keeping household obligations, may need to balance gender roles
appropriately. Teacher Lina narrated on the above statements: Pagal ka nasaeskwelahan, pagal ka pa sabalay
[You are tired at school and equally tired at home], refers on how these married female teachers have to balance
their professional advancement and household obligations accordingly, without compromising either of the two
responsibilities.
Weighing both important aspects of our career may be nerve-wracking. In order to stabilize these claims, female
teachers are encouraged to do better. As what Abella (2020) stated, there may be no gender inequality in the
realm of academia, female teachers need to be more proficient in the field since men have leeway on issues
concerning family and household obligations. This suggests that female teachers may need to stabilize their
characters to compromise on the things they need to accomplish.

Academic Credentials. As shown in Table 3, academic credential is deemed to be one of the strengths of
coastal teachers for career advancement. This is because according to the demographic profile of teachers in
terms of highest educational attainment, more than half of the interviewed informants already took units in
graduate school. However, this is also the major factor that hinders the teacher from career advancement. Aside
from the hectic and restless schedules of teachers in school, graduate school requires focus and emphasis to be
able to comply with the necessary requirements. As it connotes learning and schoolwork, it also implies that a
teacher may be flexible and adaptable and apply best practices to manage her time for school, family, and
graduate school. This is teacher Rina’s narration:

Di man bagamadali Ma’am anpagenrolsamasteral. [It is not easy to enroll in graduate school. I have
Six years naakosa service, ma seven been in the service for six year, almost seven but I
nanganipalanperonaenrolpalangakoniyannasem kay only had the chance to enroll this semester because I
dirinanakaasikaso san medyoatabatab pa. cannot really manage to enroll in the previous year.]

It is described that teachers cannot enroll for post-graduate study because of some factors regarding their age
and civil status. More so, teachers cannot comply with the documentary requirements needed for graduate
school which makes them disheartened and eventually stop enrolling for enhanced programs. If the teachers did
not meet the necessary units for career advancement, they may lose the chance for career advancement.

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Professional Development. Teachers are dedicated and persistent participants in all available trainings.
Programs for career development help teachers develop their career choice attitudes and skills. It is because they
may be more efficient and successful communicators to offer new possibilities for the learners, teachers are
enticed to training, seminars, and workshops.

Kita bagasa coastal, lalokunkatungaan san week an

seminar, mapagalonmagbyahelalo pa kunmedyomalain [For teachers in the coastal schools like us, we usually
an panahon. Pero syemprekaipuhan ta man have difficulty in travelling especially when the
gihaponmagpa-imodsa district kasimayonsida sin mga seminar falls in the middle of the week. But then we
reports nakaipuhanipasa nan malain man kundiri ta still need to attend since there are reports we need to
aram. accomplish.]

For teachers in the coastal schools, travelling back and forth is a daily dilemma. For teachers to continually
grow and uphold innovations in the profession, they are expected to deal with these difficulties at all possible
cost. It is unceasing education that enables individuals to keep up with the latest practices and progress in their
careers. One has a far greater chance of achieving success if they take advantage of professional development.

Table 1 depicts the highest level of seminar and training that a teacher already achieved. Training is categorized
into school-based training, district, division, regional, national, and international. It depends on what
organizational body is offering the seminar.

Bayer and Adam (2014) stated that a worthwhile professional development initiative should include the
following elements: 1) fit with the current teacher needs; 2) fit with the current school needs; 3) teacher
involvement in the design/planning of professional development initiatives; 4) active participation opportunities;
5) long-term engagement, and 6) high-quality instructors.

Different teachers face different difficulties, which can either boost their abilities or sap their motivation for
moving further in their careers. In order to close the gap of inadequacy and identify where to offer support and
assistance, it is crucial to address the difficulties and the areas that still need to be improved. Through this,
teachers can assess their capabilities and create a career path that will uphold their professional objectives and
achieve their goals by improving their pedagogical skills and partaking in community linkages. A thorough
examination of career patterns includes not only the preparation needs but also the difficult challenges that help
people achieve the possibilities for career progression in teaching.

4.Proposed Teacher Development Plan for Teachers in the Coastal Schools in Matnog Districts.

This section encompasses the proposed output which merged from the results of this study. It includes the key
result areas, objectives, activities, persons involved, budgetary requirements, time frame and expected outcome.

Rationale
LAMBIYONG is a commonly used Matnoganon term describing a spiraling part of an ocean which troubled the
people travelling via motorboat. The acronym LAMBIYONG (LAkas ng Matnoganon, BIda ang Yaman at
dunONG) is a development plan crafted to describe the whirling scenarios and experiences of teachers in the
coastal schools in pursuing career advancement. Likewise, it intends to give teachers a platform to strengthen
their claims for career advancement and create solid support systems that may give motivation to teachers to
strive and apply for career promotion. Furthermore, this development plan suggests different areas deemed to
have a need for improvement and still needs amendments.
The researcher believes that through the output of the development plan, the informants may realize their
potential for career advancement. The results may then benefit their career progression and establish a
sustainable living for them and for their family.

OBJECTIVES
General

This proposed development plan for teachers in the coastal schools is intended to address the different
challenges faced by teacher-informants through series of trainings and seminars as well as other support system
in pursuit of career advancement.

Specific
1.Determine the different challenges faced by the teacher- informants in the coastal schools.
2.Engage in post-graduate studies, professional development seminars and other ancillary undertakings.
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3. Intensify the aim of teachers in coastal schools for career advancement.

IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The study revealed that the profiles of the teacher informants range from 31-35 years old, female, married with
baccalaureate degree, Teacher I for 4-6 years with an outstanding adjectival rating in the IPCRF and has joined
division level trainings. The challenges faced by the teacher-informants is predominantly incomplete
credentials, specifically lack of master’s degree unit and deficiency of division, regional, national, and
international level training and seminars, locale concern or proximity, budgetary or financial obligations, care
responsibilities, collective expectations, and self-doubt.

The strengths noted by the teacher informants are age-group resiliency which denotes that the age bracket of the
informants is motivated for career advancement, academic credentials, length of service, IPCRF rating and other
ancillary involvements. On the other hand, the areas that need improvement is their gender/role and family
situations as well as the informant’s academic credentials. A teacher development plan was proposedin order to
help the teachers on the coastal schools of Matnog be motivated and eligible for career advancement despite
proximity issue.

It was recommended that teachers may be encouraged to enroll in post-graduate studies to earn master’s degree
units and join on some professional development training in the division, regional, national, and international
level which that can be used for career advancement. Also, a teacher may create a career plan, including goals
and strategies for achieving them. A teacher may easily monitor and track their progress and development in this
way. A teacher might consider saving money as early as possible. Graduate school is physically, emotionally,
and financially draining. A teacher must be prepared for unsuccessful plans and financial losses. The
Department of Education through the different Division Offices may grant distinctive specifications to teachers
depending on their length of service in the department to be able to ameliorate their career positions. The teacher
development plan may be submitted to the concern offices/authorities for further review and evaluation prior to
its adoption and implementation. Further study may be considered to include the inland schools in Matnog
District and other schools in the Division of Sorsogon.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The researchers extend their gratitude and appreciation to those who in one way or another have helped and
supported in making this study possible.

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