Budget Dep't assures PAGASA employees of release of overdue benefits

The Department of Budget and Management assured PAGASA employees that the perks due them for the first semester will be released, following a protest staged by the weather agency’s forecasters after they did not receive their hazard pay. “As instructed by the President, the DBM will provide the necessary budget support to cover all allowances for PAGASA employees in the first half of 2012,” said Budget Secretary Florencio Abad in a statement released Wednesday. These perks pertain to laundry, subsistence, longevity, and hazard allowances, and are mandated in Republic Act No. 8439, or the Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers, Researchers and other Science and Technology Personnel in Government. According to the DBM statement, under the Magna Carta, employees are entitled to a daily allowance of P150.00, while P500.00 is provided for monthly laundry expenses. Longevity pay for each worker, meanwhile, is calculated as 5 percent of an employee’s monthly basic pay for every five years of service, while hazard pay comprises 15 percent of a PAGASA employee’s basic monthly pay. Due payment Department of Science and Technology Mario Montejo earlier in the day said PAGASA weather forecasters can expect to get their overdue benefits in as early as two weeks. PAGASA is an agency of the DOST. However, Abad said the DBM will strictly enforce the guidelines in the 2012 General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the release of Magna Carta benefits in the second semester, particularly on the release of hazard and longevity pay. He said there have been violations in the rules set for the provision of Magna Carta perks. “For example, PAGASA currently provides hazard allowances for its employees across the board—whether or not they are exposed to risks in the course of their duties—in clear violation of the law and their own guidelines,” Abad said. “We need to confirm which employees, by the nature of their work, are entitled to hazard pay, as well as when they’re supposed to receive this.” “We’re now studying the ways through which we can make the release of Magna Carta benefits more efficient. As much as we need to protect the interests of the country’s public servants, we ought to do so in a legal, transparent, and responsible fashion,” he also said. Abad said in 2013, the Aquino administration will recognize all Magna Carta benefits for PAGASA-DOST employees in the GAA to provide assured funding sources for these perks. He also said the developments will also span across the 18 other agencies attached to the Department of Science and Technology. On Tuesday, PAGASA forecasters staged a protest during lunch time because of what they perceived as the government’s slow response in giving them their hazard pay. PAGASA Weathermen Employees Association President Ramon Agustin said the government has been slow to give the hazard pay due them. “’Yung mga tao, ‘yun na lang ‘yung inaasahan. ‘Yun na lang ‘yung source ng pampaaral nila, ng pang-araw-araw nila, ng pagkain nila,” said Agustin. Meanwhile, the Palace on Wednesday assured PAGASA forecasters that there will be no effect on the forecasters' jobs following their protest. “Basta ang kailangan lang po sa kanila ay gampanan ang kanilang trabaho bilang forecasters,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in an ambush interview after a Palace press briefing. “Kailangan naman hong asikasuhin ang kanilang hinihingi,” he also said. - BM, GMA News