Bleak Christmas looms for Pinoy scientists

GMA News Online – 1 hour 34 minutes ago

There's just one wish that government project scientist Michael Santos (not his real name) has for Christmas: to finally receive the benefits due him under Republic Act No. 8439
(RA 8439), or the Philippine Magna Carta for Scientists.(See related story here.)
For more than half a year, Santos has been struggling to make ends meet —for personal expenses as well as for research funds: "In my experiments, I try to be resourceful as much as possible for us to lessen expenses without compromising our projects," Santos told GMA News Online in an email interview.
Santos works for the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), one of the attached agencies of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
Santos said that he and other government scientists
have been told "to reduce operational expenses in order for us to have savings for our benefits," on top of other belt-tightening measures.
Suspended since May
Santos, like other employees of the DOST and its 19 attached agencies, has not received a single peso of his Magna Carta benefits since May of this year.
Under RA 8439, all of the government's science and technology (S&T) workers are entitled to subsistence allowance, longevity pay, and hazard pay.
In particular, all S&T employees are entitled to a subsistence allowance equivalent to P150 for three meals a day and a monthly laundry allowance of not less than P150.
Meanwhile, every month, all government S&T personnel are entitled to longevity pay equivalent to 5 percent of their basic salary for every five years spent in government service.
Hazard pay, meanwhile, has a more stringent set of criteria.
According to RA 8439: "All S & T personnel involved in hazardous undertakings or assigned in hazardous workplaces, shall be paid hazard allowances ranging from ten (10%) to thirty (30%) percent of their monthly basic salary depending on the nature and extent of the hazard involved. The following shall be considered hazardous workplaces:

(1) Radiation-exposed laboratories and service workshops;
(2) Remote/depressed areas;
(3) Areas declared under a state of calamity or emergency;
(4) Strife-torn or embattled areas;
(5) Laboratories and other disease-infested areas."
Under RA 8439, Santos —who has been working for the government for 10 years— is entitled to a P3300 subsistence allowance (at P150 per day); a monthly P500 laundry allowance; at least P2500 a month for 15 percent hazard pay; and another P1600 longevity pay.
But none of these benefits showed up in his November payslip.
And yet, despite this, Santos says he's still lucky to be on the "rich" side of the fence.
"It pains me whenever I see my colleagues walk their way to and from work... Baon sa utang ang mga tao," he lamented.
Only Christmas wish
DOST officials said that they are doing everything they can to release the suspended benefits, but claim that their hands are tied due to the need to clarify the Magna Carta's implementing guidelines.
In an earlier interview, Atty. Oswaldo Santos, DOST Assistant Secretary for Finance said, "Minamadali na namin ang pagpoproseso nito. Target namin, by December, maibigay na ang benefits."
Santos explained that this is the first time they had to suspend the Magna Carta benefits for a long period.
“Dati kasi, nakabase sa savings ng bawat agency ang mga ganitong benefits. Pero may joint resolution kasi noong 2009 kung saan sinasabing kailangang irefine ‘yung guidelines tungkol dito,” said Santos.
Santos also clarified that only the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has the power to determine who should qualify for the Magna Carta benefits, as stated in a joint Senate and House of Representatives resolution in 2009.
Joint Resolution No. 4, Series of 2009, states: “The DBM, in coordination with the agencies concerned, shall determine the qualifications, conditions and rates in the grant of said benefits.”
On Aug. 14, PAGASA workers —clad in black arm bands at the height of an ominous storm— protested the suspension of their benefits.
Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III even visited the PAGASA office and told the employees that their agency violated certain provisions on the distribution of hazard allowance.
Two weeks later, the DBM finally released the weathermen’s suspended benefits.
As of October 23, 2012, the DOST and DBM had already drafted a set of guidelines to determine the qualifications necessary for the suspended benefits. For hazard pay, the draft guidelines said, “The rates of Hazard Pay for a month should distinguish between risk levels and frequency of exposure.”
Fifteen days to go
But PNRI director Dr. Alumanda dela Rosa said that the agency is still trying to provide at least partial fulfillment of the Magna Carta benefits for their over 200 employees, from the agency's savings.
"(Pero) wala pang lumalabas na 'black-and-white' tungkol dito," she said in an interview.
Nevertheless, dela Rosa said she is still hopeful that the Magna Carta benefits will come in time for Christmas.

"Kawawa rin naman 'yung mga empleyado namin dito. Apektado sila," she said.
Magna Carta for all
The decision of the DBM notwithstanding, the Magna Carta states that all S&T personnel are entitled to benefits.
Specifically, Section 5 of the law says:
*Section 5. Classification of S & T Personnel.* - S & T personnel may be classified in the following categories:
(a) *S & T managers, supervisors, and planners*. - Those who are graduate degree holders or have at least ten (10) years of managerial experience or are performing executive, planning and policy-making functions to effectively carry out STA related activities as defined in Section 3 of this Act;
(b) Members of the scientific career system;
(c) *Scientists, engineers and researchers*. - Those who are at least undergraduate degree holders in any of the natural science and engineering courses and are involved in research and development or other scientific and technological activities; and
(d) *DOST technicians and related S & T personnel*. - Those who obtained at least twelve (12) units in science, engineering and other related courses or any appropriate training as determined by the Secretary of the Department and are providing support services to S & T personnel enumerated in the three (3) preceding sub-sections.
Exodus of S&T workers
Because of meager compensation, Santos said more and more S&T workers are inclined to go abroad.
"Some colleagues are seriously considering early retirement and working abroad. Some will be taking graduate studies abroad and will not return. People are demoralized," he added.
An earlier report noted that the Philippines is already in dire need of S&T workers, according to UNESCO standards.
— TJD, GMA News