RP also running out of geologists

MANILA, Philippines – Aside from pilots and weather forecasters, the country now faces a shortage of geologists.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) yesterday said the country is running out of geologists and warned the government that vacancies in the agency had reached 50 percent of the workforce.

MGB Assistant Director Leo Jasareno said that 83

government geologists have already left the agency since 2007.

He said 48.8 percent of the workforce in 15 regional offices had not yet been filled.

The MGB is an attached agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Jasareno lamented that many of the country’s geologists leave because of high-paying jobs abroad.

He noted that a senior government geologist earns P38,000 while newly hired personnel get a starting salary of P18,000.

Jasareno said that the agency plans to propose the “special charter for special salary range” for geologists since the profession should get the same treatment given to lawyers and doctors.

“What happens is that the agency’s tasks of geohazard mapping and mineral exploration are affected by the lack of personnel. We are now forced to hire contractual workers for jobs that need immediate attention. Some of our resident geologists are also forced to work overtime now,” he explained.

Jasareno added that so far, they have accomplished 96 percent of the needed geohazard maps.

“We are working on the remaining 4 percent so that the maps can be immediately distributed to concerned local government units.”

Geohazard mapping is being conducted to assess an area’s vulnerability to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and landslides.

He said they would engage in active recruitment of new geologists to fill the vacancy in regional offices. –Rhodina Villanueva (The Philippine Star)