RP loses top meteorologist to continuing ‘brain drain’

The country is losing one of its top meteorologists who has opted to seek greener pastures abroad.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) acting director Martin Rellin said his family is migrating to Canada and is scheduled to leave the country next month.

“I want to ensure a brighter future for my children,” Rellin told The STAR in an interview. “And I see it in Canada because there are so many people vying for limited opportunities here.”

Rellin said he does not consider this as a “brain drain” as he vowed to help the agency even if he is already in Canada.

“There are many opportunities there, so in a way we are also helping the people here because we are no longer competing with them. And I don’t see this as a brain drain,” he said.

“If we’ll become successful in Canada, we’ll bring resources here, we’ll bring business, you never know,” he said.

He said he also plans to provide the agency with lots of meteorological books, adding he will continue to support the Typhoon Committee Foundation Inc., an organization founded by the late Dr. Roman Kintanar, a former Pagasa director and a close friend.

Unlike other Filipino meteorologists who were pirated by foreign meteorological agencies, the 47-year-old Cebuano said he plans to work with his brother-in-law who is into electronic business.

“I want to try my luck in business. Maybe three to five years from now I will pursue my career in meteorology,” he said.

Asked what was his unforgettable experience with Pagasa is, Rellin said, “it’s the commitment of serving the people, the commitment of providing reliable information in terms of forecasts and warnings.”

Rellin said being a Pagasa director is a “very demanding” job, requiring more than skills and knowledge, a lot of intrapersonal skills to manage people.

He started his career with Pagasa Cebu office as a weather observer aide in 1979, a position equivalent to janitor.

In 1989, Rellin was promoted to Meteorological Facilities Engineer I and was reassigned to Pagasa central office in Quezon City.

In 1990, he was promoted to Weather Facilities Specialists II, then senior weather specialist in 1993, administrative officer V in 2004, and director III last February.

Last June, President Arroyo appointed Rellin as the acting director of the weather bureau.

Rellin obtained his degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Mindanao. He received a diploma in meteorological engineering from the Meteorological Office College in United Kingdom through a scholarship from the Department of Science and Technology.

He also finished Master of Science in Management Engineering at the University of Santo Tomas in 2001 with a grant from the DOST.

With barely a week to spend with the agency, Rellin said he dreams that in the next five years, Pagasa will be like China which is advanced in terms of meteorological equipment, human resource development and infrastructure, given the right support from the government and the right people who will manage the bureau.

Rellin said Pagasa and the Ateneo de Manila University will be signing a memorandum of agreement this week for the training of more meteorologists.

“We cannot deny the fact that we all need greener pasture. Other forecasters can also do the same, but just see to it that they already have served the country to the best of their ability. As for me, I think I have done enough, it’s the end of my career here,” he said.