First weather forecasters, then pilots. Who's next?

Amid the exodus of weather forecasters and pilots to "greener pastures," the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) also expressed alarm Tuesday over the increasing number of geologists and mining engineers leaving government service to pursue their career in private firms that offers better paying jobs.

MGB assistant director Leo Jasareno said MGB is in need of 104 geologists and 98 mining engineers in the central office and in its 15 regional offices nationwide.

He noted that of the total 213 positions for geologists in the MGB, about half or 109 positions are filled up, while 48.8 percent of the workforce is still vacant.

Likewise, MGB is also short of 40 percent (98 positions) of the total 246 mining engineers.

“Most of the vacant positions are due to the exodus of our employees to the private sector, both local and international. It was from 2007 to 2008 when bulk of our workers left the government service,” Jasareno pointed out.

“MGB mining engineers and geologists transferred to local or international private mining companies who offered salaries up to three to four times higher than what they receive in the MGB,” he said.

Jasareno said the basic salary of a geologist or mining engineer working in the government is pegged at P18,000 a month.

Meanwhile, a geologist or mining engineer with a position of government division chief receives a monthly salary of P38,000.

Jasareno said as a short-term solution to the problem, he urged the government to speed up the rationalization plan of the departments to allow them to hire new geologists and mining engineers.