PAGASA loses 3 personnel to Qatar agency

Philippine state weather agency PAGASA has lost three more meteorologists who left for greener pastures in Qatar over the weekend.

The Philippine Weathermen Employees Association (PWEA) said the three included two weather forecasters and one communications engineer, radio dzBB's Allan Gatus reported.
 
The PWEA statement as posted by dzBB's Allan Gatus' on Twitter.as
Gatus said the wages of the three could be at least five times of what they were receiving at PAGASA.

Meanwhile, a post on GMA News' "I M Ready" Twitter account indicated PWEA was saddened by the departure of the three.

In a statement posted by Gatus on Twitter, PWEA president Ramon Agustin named only one of the three— Bernie de Leon, who he said "contributed much in the improvement of the now very important Rainfall Warning System of the agency."

Agustin said the second employee to leave PAGASA for Qatar was a "dedicated forecaster at the Aviation Met Service at the 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."

He said the three departed for Qatar last Sunday and will work for the Qatar Bureau of Meteorology as airport forecasters and communication specialist.

The three had planned to leave PAGASA as early as 2013 but postponed this because they were promised improved benefits, Agustin said.

Yet, the PWEA said PAGASA personnel have not received their hazard pay for six months now, while two other benefits—longevity pay and subsistence allowance—would be given only until June this year because the Department of Budget and Management has allegedly not released funds for July to December.

Agustin said the three were among seven PAGASA forecasters being pirated by Middle East countries.

But four of them opted to stay "for love of the job and prayerfully hoping for improved economic compensation," PWEA said.

The PWEA said PAGASA personnel had been promised last year that Magna Carta benefits would not be delayed anymore, as they would be taken from the Mutual Personnel Benefit Fund.

Agustin said the delay in Magna Carta benefits could be addressed if the budget was included in the government's yearly General Appropriations Act. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

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