Weathermen seek wage hike

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration employees’ association yesterday urged the Aquino administration to increase the salaries of Pagasa personnel, particularly weather forecasters, to prevent them from leaving the country for better paying jobs abroad.

Ramon Agustin, president of the Philippine Weathermen Employees Association (PWEA), said granting more benefits to Pagasa personnel would serve as temporary incentive for them not to leave the weather agency.

He said the law allows the granting of hazard pay to employees, which is equivalent to 30 percent of their basic salary.

Agustin, however, said Pagasa personnel receive only 15 percent of this.

“Aside from this, a significant increase in the yearly signing incentive under the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) between the management and PWEA may give economic relief to rank-and-file employees,” Agustin said.

He said that in the last three years, Pagasa employees received only P5,000 per year under the CNA compared to P20,000 received by other government workers.

“The disparity is one factor for personnel to contemplate seeking greener pastures abroad,” Agustin said.

He said the agency is beleaguered by incessant resignation of competent personnel, forecasters in particular, due to lucrative offers from meteorological services in other countries.

Twenty-four seasoned weathermen have left the country in the past 10 years for high-paying jobs abroad, according to Agustin. –Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)