Pagasa loses three more employees to ME agencies

MANILA, Philippines - After failing to receive benefits promised by the government, three employees of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), including two seasoned forecasters, have left the agency for better-paying jobs in the Middle East.

Ramon Agustin, president of the Philippine Weathermen Employees Association (PWEA), said forecasters Bernie de Leon and Ralph Ricahuerta were hired by the Qatar Bureau of Meteorology as airport forecasters.

Another PAGASA employee, Ralph Soquila, was also hired by the foreign meteorological agency as a communication specialist. The three left the country last Sunday, Agustin said.

Agustin said De Leon contributed significantly to the improvement of the Rainfall Warning System of the agency.

 â€œThe other was a dedicated forecaster at the Aviation Met Service in Ninoy Aquino International Airport, while the telecommunication expert was a big factor in the maintenance of important facilities like the Doppler radars and Met satellite,” Agustin added.

Former PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando also left the agency last year to work in Qatar.

Agustin blamed the non-payment of benefits of PAGASA personnel provided under the Magna Carta for Science and Technology workers for the continuous departure of Filipino meteorologists.

Last year, PAGASA personnel were promised that Magna Carta benefits would no longer be delayed as these would be sourced from the funded Mutual Personnel Benefit Fund in 2014.

Agustin said the three planned to leave PAGASA as early as last year but postponed it as they were hoping that there would be improvements in benefits that the agency had promised.

 But PAGASA personnel have not received their hazard pay for almost six months now, he said.

 â€œThe giving of the other two benefits, namely the longevity pay and subsistence allowance, would be given only until June this year because the Department of Budget and Management has not yet released the funds for the next semester from July to December,” he added.

Agustin also bared that four more forecasters are being hired by other meteorological agencies in the Middle East.

“The four, however, opted to stay so far with PAGASA for love of the job and prayerfully hoping for improved economic compensation.”

Secretary Mario Montejo of the Department of Science and Technology had said such resignations have not adversely affected the performance of the weather agency. He said the country has enough weather forecasters to warn the public of impending weather disturbances.