DPWH to screen engineers, tech staff for hazard pay

MANILA, Philippines — A screening committee that will help engineers and technical personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways qualify as science and technology workers has been formed by the DPWH.

The move aims to get DPWH engineers and technical staff to avail themselves of hazard pay and other monetary perks under the magna carta for S&T workers.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, in an order issued Oct. 14, formed the agency screening committee that will evaluate DPWH staff applying for magna carta benefits.

Under Republic Act 8439, certified S&T personnel receive hazard pay ranging from 10 to 30 percent of their basic salary.

They are also entitled to longevity pay, subsistence and laundry allowances, and honoraria for technical projects.

Retiring certified workers also receive automatic salary grade elevations.

DPWH Undersecretary Rio Espiritu heads the committee as chairperson.

Serving as vice chairpersons are OIC-Undersecretary Lara Marisse Esquibil and Assistant Secretary Carlo Jauharo Castro.

PPP right-of-way

Meanwhile, Dizon has reconstituted a task force handling the right-of-way (ROW) acquisition of land needed for public-private partnership infrastructure projects.

In a special order issued last Oct. 9, Dizon reconstituted the task force to unblock land acquisition bottlenecks and expedite delayed tollway and public-private infrastructure projects nationwide.

The panel’s primary mandate is to “secure full-site possession of the required ROW to allow the immediate commencement of construction” for projects under the PPP Service, Toll Regulatory Board and regional offices.

Dizon named DPWH Undersecretary Samuel Rufino Turgano as chairman of the panel.

DPWH legal service director Gliricidia Tumaliuan-Ali serves as vice chairman.

The task force members are Arjay Peralta of the PPP Service, Ramayana Saidamen-Basman and Mikhail Valodya Tupaz.