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MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – President Benigno Aquino III met on Tuesday, August 14, with officials of the state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) amid a protest by employees over unpaid benefits on Tuesday, August 14.
The President arrived at the office of PAGASA in Quezon City at around 4:30 pm Tuesday and held a closed-door meeting with the officials. The President was with Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Science Secretary Mario Montejo and Secretary Sonny Coloma.
“Pumunta ako dito, pinaalala ko lang, lalo na’t masama ho ang ating klima at may weather disturbance tayo, may agam-agam na ang nasalanta nitong baha, eh huwag naman nating dadagdagan,” Aquino told reporters after the meeting.
The bureau’s employees are appealing to Aquino for the release of the benefits, which include hazard and longevity pay, and the subsistence allowance and laundry allowance (SALA).
The employees said Republic Act No. 8439, or the Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers, Researchers and other Science & Technology Personnel in Government, ensures that they receive such benefits.
The employees said the benefits augment their meager take-home pay, which goes as low as P7,000 to P8,000 a month.
Hazard pay
Regarding Hazard Duty Pay, Aquino said not all of the agency’s employees are entitled to the said benefit.
“Naghahanap tayo ng fair. Ano ‘yung fair? ‘Yung fair, baka naman added benefit ‘yung nasa hazardous assignment talaga. ‘Yung hindi hazardous, huwag naman sanang entitled,” he said.
He said the bureau will have to sort out who gets it.
“‘Pag natapos lahat itong pag-aayos ng lahat ng detalye – sinong entitled sa hazard [pay], sino ang hindi – puwede na nating isama sa request natin sa budget to fund this, para may permanent sila,” he added.
Earlier Tuesday, in a press briefing at Malacañang, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in previous years, benefits have been dependent on the agency’s savings, and now they are changing it so that it is not anymore dependent on it.
“For the 2013 budget proposal, hindi na siya contingent on savings,” she added.
The 2012 General Appropriations Act, which set the government budget for the year, stated that national government agencies that are not authorized by law to grant Hazard Duty Pay can get the budget for it from their savings.
Only “officials and employees who are actually assigned to, and performing duties in, strife torn or embattled areas” determined by the defense chief can get the said benefit, and will be paid only for the duration of the assignment.
Aquino gave assurances that once the budget for the benefits are processed, the employees will receive it retroactively from March.
Despite the benefits issue, Malacañang commended PAGASA for the bureau’s efforts in making its updates “layman-friendly.”
“The President did commend… DOST-PAGASA for its effort to update and disseminate the weather updates from last week. The President did also ask them to further work on laymanizing the weather advisories,” Valte said.
Lunchtime protest
Aquino’s visit was prompted by a lunchtime protest by the employees.
In a press conference at the bureau’s headquarters in Quezon City Tuesday noon – held after their 11 am update on “Helen” – employees of the state weather bureau wore black armbands to work in protest of their still-unpaid benefits that have been suspended since March.
The government earlier said the benefits will be released by the first week of August, after dialogues with DOST and PAGASA officials back in July.
They also held up streamers calling on the President to respond to their plight.
The employees, however, promised that work at the state weather bureau won’t be affected by their protest, especially with the impending arrival of tropical storm Helen (international codename Kai-tak).
“Hindi kami magbabanta ng pagliban sa aming trabaho. The only thing na mangyayari ay patuloy kaming magpo-protesta,” Philippine Weathermen Employees Association (PWEA) President Ramon Agustin said during the press conference.
They will hold a noise barrage as part of their protest on Friday, August 17. – Rappler.com
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