Lawmaker asks DOST chief, PAGASA officials to end row

A lawmaker asked Science Secretary Mario Montejo and Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officials to end as soon as possible their row over the sudden firing of former PAGASA chief Prisco Nilo. Rep. Angelo Palmones of the Agham party list, said Monday he already talked to Montejo, Nilo, and Dr. Graciano Yumul Jr, the new PAGASA officer-in-charge. “Nag-usap kami ni Sec. Montejo at Usec. Yumul at Director Nilo at mga bagay na ito kung ano ang totoong dahilan, bakit siya na-relieve, e isang internal issue na dapat maresolba sa lalong madaling panahon (I talked to Sec. Montejo and Undersecretary Yumul, and with Director Nilo. I told them what happened should be an internal issue that should be resolved soonest)," Palmones said in an interview on dzXL radio. President Benigno Simeon Aquino III fired Nilo on Friday for his alleged failure to warn that recent tropical cyclone “Basyang" (Conson) would hit Metro Manila and Luzon. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Yumul, who was an undersecretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), will hold the post for three months. However, the move to oust Nilo reportedly did not sit well with several PAGASA employees and forecasters. “Di maiiwasan natin na talagang magdamdam. Di lang si Director Nilo ang nag-react kundi empleyado. Sabi nila maaring napaka-drastic ng relief ni Dr. Nilo, considering alam nila paano ito magtrabaho (You cannot blame employees for feeling bad. It was not just Nilo who reacted badly but also the other employees. They thought Nilo’s relief was too drastic, considering how he worked so hard)," Palmones said. Greener pastures Palmones said there had been offers for Nilo to work abroad for better pay, but he chose to stay. In the last five years, he said at least 27 experts from PAGASA had left for greener pastures. “Kung may magandang offer na umaabang di mo sila pwede pigilan (If there is a better offer from abroad, you cannot just stop them)," he said. On the other hand, not all PAGASA workers were willing to move abroad if offered better pay there. “Wala akong balak, mahirap ang mawalay sa pamilya eh (I don’t plan on going abroad. It is hard to be separated from your family)," PAGASA forecaster Buddy Javier said in an interview on dwIZ radio. House resolution Palmones filed House Resolution (HR) 85 in the House of Representatives seeking to increase by 150 percent the basic pay of the employees of PAGASA. HR 85 also proposed that PAGASA employees be exempted from the Salary Standardization Law. –VVP, GMANews.TV