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Despite experts' 'exodus', PAGASA still gettingbudget cut

GMA News Online 12 hours agoDepartment of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo on Monday confirmed that

PAGASA, the countrys weather monitoring bureau, will receive a significantly lower budget

allocation come 2014.

At a budget hearing with the House Committee on Appropriations Montejo said PAGASAs budget

will decrease by 14 percent, with its proposed budget down to P1.256 billion for next year. In 2013,

the weather agency received an estimated P206.1 million.

The decline in PAGASAs budget can be attributed to a 38 percent reduction in its capital outlay

budgetfrom P644 million to P397 millionand to a decrease of 0.9 percent in personnel services

allocation.

Montejo explained that the budget cut came just as the majority of the agencys projects are near

completion: PAGASA acquired five Doppler radars worth P100 million each and another two moving

rover radars worth P35 million each.

For his part, Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of the first district of Leyte and head of the

Independent bloc in the House said his group would like to tackle the budget cut of PAGASA in the

plenary.

We need some further explanation for that budget cut [of PAGASA], said Romualdez, noting that

the cut might contribute to more brain drain in the agency.

Brain drain issues

The weather bureau recently made headlines after its head, Nathaniel Servandodecided to formally

leave the agencyfor a better job abroad, a fact the DOST chief acknowledged.

Servando was the latest in the long list of PAGASA forecasters and executives who havegiven up on

their low pay.

However, while Montejo admitted that several personnel have chosen to leave, the bureau has since

hired new meteorologists to beef up their numbers.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/313536/news/nation/PAGASA-head-quitshttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/313536/news/nation/PAGASA-head-quitshttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/313536/news/nation/PAGASA-head-quitshttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/313536/news/nation/PAGASA-head-quitshttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/312693/pinoyabroad/news/departure-of-PAGASA-execs-a-sign-of-brain-drainhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/312693/pinoyabroad/news/departure-of-PAGASA-execs-a-sign-of-brain-drainhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/312693/pinoyabroad/news/departure-of-PAGASA-execs-a-sign-of-brain-drainhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/312693/pinoyabroad/news/departure-of-PAGASA-execs-a-sign-of-brain-drainhttp://www.gmanews.tv/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/312693/pinoyabroad/news/departure-of-PAGASA-execs-a-sign-of-brain-drainhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/312693/pinoyabroad/news/departure-of-PAGASA-execs-a-sign-of-brain-drainhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/313536/news/nation/PAGASA-head-quitshttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/313536/news/nation/PAGASA-head-quits

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There is a decrease in the number of our forecasters previously. We cant really rule out that [some]

opt to leave due to higher pay abroad, or for other personal reasons. But now they are increasing

again due to lot of meteorologist applicants, he said, noting that the increase in forecasters came

during President Benigno Aquinos term.

According to a report by Sherrie Ann Torres on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, Montejo said that

earlier reports had merely exaggerated the number of resignations at PAGASA. "Sa totoo lang daw,

isa o dalawa lang naman ang umaalis, tapos napapalabas lang siyang marami," Torres reported.

The DOST, which supervises PAGASA, has already hired 37 new meteorologiststhe biggest number

of hires in the weather bureau, Torres said, citing Montejo.

In June, President Benigno Aquino IIIdownplayed the supposed brain drain at PAGASA, as the

country's meteorologists left the Philippines for jobs abroad, including PAGASA head NathanielServando opted for early retirement. Servando has landed a teaching job in Qatar, where he is

currently earning seven times his salary in the Philippines.

Aquino said Filipinos should not be alarmed by reported instances of meteorologists leaving

PAGASA: only three employees of the agency left under his watch, he stressed.

Earlier, Philippine Weathermen Employees Association head Mon Agustin saidat least 20 PAGASA

employees had resigned and migrated overseas over the past 10 yearsdue to meager salaries. He said

weather forecasters are in demand for higher-paying jobs abroad, especially in Singapore andAustralia.

Up for further discussion

During the budget hearing, DOST-PAGASA officials also called on members of the 16th Congress will

pass the proposed measure that will benefit the weather bureaus personnel.

Despite being certified as "urgent" by President Benigno Aquino III himself, House Bill 6546 or "An

Act Providing for the Modernization of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical

Services Administration (PAGASA)" did not pass in the Senate before the close of the 15th Congress.

The Upper House lacked quorum on the day the bill was supposed to be discussed.

DOST budget

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Meanwhile, Montejo also stressed the need to give recognition and appreciation of science and

technology in the Philippines in order to encourage scientists and other employees to remain

working in DOST.

He added that around P1.029 billion have been allotted for DOST's Magna Carta benefits, which

includes a laundry and subsistence allowance.

However, Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares noted that the Magna Carta does not include

hazard and longevity benefits.

But Montejo said this is already included in the DOST's overall budget.

He added that the proposed budget for DOST for the year 2014 is P12.215 billion, a 21 percent

increase from its 2013 budget of P10.089 billion.With Mandy Fernandez/TJD, GMA News

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