President Rodrigo Duterte promised on Thursday to increase the salary of teachers this year.

Duterte made the statement during the groundbreaking of the Gregorio National High School in Bulakan, Bulacan.

"You will be next (to receive salary increase) this year," he said, noting that among the government employees, the teachers have the highest number.

Duterte, however, was not clear if the salary hike was the fourth and last tranche of the modified salary schedule for civilian government personnel and authorizing the grant of additional benefits for both civilian and military and uniformed personnel whose implementation started in 2016.

Before his promise to the teachers, Duterte pushed for the pay hike of the soldiers, policemen and other men in uniform.

The fourth tranche of the modified salary schedule for government employees has been suspended due to the failure of Congress to pass the 2019 proposed budget.

According to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, the salary increase could be implemented once the General Appropriations Act of 2019 is approved.

Asked about Duterte's new promise to the teachers, Diokno said the Department of Budget and Management has initiated a study for the increase in compensation for government workers from 2020 to 2022.

Meanwhile, during his speech in Bulacan, Duterte again uttered cuss words even in front of students and teachers.

He even cited his low grades of 75 when he was still a student.

Also present in the event were Education Secretary Leonor Briones and Duterte's long-time partner Cielito "Honeylet" Avancena, who hails from Bulacan. Celerina Monte/DMS