PAGASA Employees Protests Scrapping of Allowances Under the New SSL

The country’s weather bureau, PAGASA made headlines in various news media outlet after the entire staff turned out for their protest action against the proposed Salary Standardization Law (SSL), which would scrap their allowances while increasing their salaries.

PAGASA

The protest of PAGASA started on Monday at the flag ceremony as officials and rank and file employees alike of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) wore black armbands over white shirts to dramatize their protest.

The employees of the government agency also staged a sit-down rally during lunch at the PAGASA Forecasting Center to denounce the proposed SSL. Protest streamers were also prominently displayed outside the PAGASA compound in Quezon City.

Some 900 technical and non-technical personnel of PAGASA who were members of the Philippine Weathermen Employees Association (PWEA) denounced the proposed SSL for repealing Republic Act 8439.

The 1997 Magna Carta for Science and Technology (S&T) workers in government granted additional benefits such as hazard allowance, subsistence allowance and longevity pay to dissuade state scientists, researchers, engineers and other science workers from seeking higher-paying jobs abroad.
“The provision to repeal RA 8439 is a threat to the economic well-being not only of PAGASA employees but to all S&T workers in government,” PWEA president Ramon Agustin said.

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