Pagasa loses another expert

MANILA, Philippines - After 16 years of service in the state weather bureau where he received a salary of P20,000 a month, Ricky Fabregas, a seasoned forecaster, felt it was time to move on.

Fabregas, 46, has accepted a job in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he would get around P100,000 monthly pay, or five times his wage at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Philippine Weathermen Employees Association (PWEA) president Ramon Agustin said Fabregas’ resignation, which took effect last Aug. 1, came amid continued demoralization of PAGASA employees over the lack of support from the government.

Less than two months ago, PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando also resigned to work in the Middle East.

Servando availed of the government’s optional retirement program last June after serving the agency for 23 years.

Agustin warned that more weathermen are thinking of leaving the agency for better paying jobs.

He added that PAGASA employees have yet to receive the benefits promised them last month under the Magna Carta for science and technology workers.

He said two PAGASA employees have died due to illness without receiving the benefits.

Agustin said Science Secretary Mario Montejo had endorsed to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as early as the first week of July the request of PAGASA to use its savings.

According to Montejo, the DBM has completed the processing of pertinent documents and is about to release the approval.

Agustin said the only requirement needed is the certification from the  Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Hazard Committee that PAGASA employees are entitled to receive 15 percent of their basic salary for the hazard pay as it was in the past years.

“PWEA is clueless on why it takes too long to issue the certification,” Agustin said.

He said PWEA is not seeking the higher percentage of 30 percent if only to expedite the early release of benefits from January to June this year.

He said that under the recently released Commission on Audit circular, Magna Carta benefits for science and technology workers may base their claim on the old guidelines.