By Grace Gajetes

Published: August 15, 2012

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno lauded today employees of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pag-asa) for holding a protest over suspended cash benefits, expressing its support for the government employees.

Pag-asa employees held a protest yesterday to call for the resumption of their hazard pay and other allowances which were suspended last March.

News on the protest depicted an employee earning P12,000 a month after working at Pag-asa for 16 years and another who died for failing to finance his medication for diabetes.

“We are revolted to learn that employees working to bring us news of typhoons are being devastated by their employer, the government,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.

“Pres. Aquino has repeatedly scolded Pag-asa for its weather forecast, safely ignoring his government’s responsibility for the government agency’s performance,” he added.

KMU criticized Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino for lecturing Pag-asa employees about their duties while refusing to give a date as to when they will get their benefits back.

“He should stop lecturing Pag-asa employees about their duty to the nation amidst the typhoon season and start addressing the demands of these government employees,” Labog said.

“General promises with no timetables won’t do. If Pres. Aquino really wants Pag-asa employees to fulfill their duties to the nation well, then he should immediately act on their just demands,” he added.

“Pag-asa employees have shown their worth for the nation with years of dedicated service while Pres. Aquino has not proven his worth in terms of genuine service amidst the disasters hitting the country,” he said.

KMU expressed its full support for the Pag-asa employees and reiterated its support for calls, led by the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees or Courage, for a P6,000 increase in government employees’ minimum pay.

“We are calling on Congress to immediately increase the minimum pay of government employees by P6,000 by passing House Bill 3746,” Labog said.

“We urge government employees to continue to fight back like the employees of Pag-asa. Let us fight demoralization by standing up for our rights to higher salaries and benefits, job security, and free exercise of rights at the workplace,” he added.