PAGASA's new job post with P15,840 salary draws mixed reactions
A job listing by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) garnered mixed reactions from social media users online due to its "low" salary offer.
On their official Facebook page, the weather bureau announced that they are looking for a new job order personnel who will be assigned to their Administrative Division / Human Resources Management and Development Section at their Central Office in Quezon City.
Some of the qualifications they are looking for in the applicant include a bachelor's degree and knowledge of using Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
They are also looking for applicants who "can work with minimum supervision and has excellent organizational and time management skills," and those with skills in the Recruitment Selection and Placement process can have an advantage.
But what caught the attention of online users the most was the salary offer, which starts at P15,840.
In the comments section, many pointed out how the wage is too low for today's living conditions.
"Kawawa talaga ang mga Pilipinong walang kapit. Mababang posisyon at mababang sweldo," one critic wrote.
"Taas ng standards niyo, tapos yung sahod kulang pa sa pamasahe papasok ng trabaho at pangkain sa loob ng isang buwan," another one commented.
Others pointed out how the salary would become even lower once government benefits such as the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) have been deducted.
On the other hand, some users defended the salary and stated how this is normal for those who are new to the workforce.
"The job is a stepping stone po sa mga fresh grad and for gaining experience. Mga entry jobs po mababa talaga.. within minimum wage yan. 680 per day, 22 days working," one user said.
"If I'm a fresh grad okay lang naman. Dagdag kaalaman sa work and work experience. It can be your training ground for the meantime," another stated.
Some also mentioned how working in the government would entail higher perks than those in the private sector.
With the P15,840 salary, this puts the hired worker in the "low (but not poor)" income group. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), the country’s primary socioeconomic policy think tank, defined this as an income range "between the poverty line and twice the poverty line" and ranges from P12,030 to P24,060 per month.
Currently, the minimum daily wage for workers in Metro Manila amounts to P610 per day. This was approved by the capital region's wage board back in June last year.
Wage Order No. NCR-24 grants a seven percent hike, increasing the minimum wage from P570 to P610 for the non-agricultural sector, and P533 to P573 for the agriculture sector, service, and retail establishments employing 15 or fewer workers, and manufacturing establishments regularly employing less than 10 workers.
However, according to results gathered from 500 companies by Willis Towers Watson (WTW), a multinational company providing insurance services, employees in the Philippines will have a median salary increase of 5.7 percent by 2024.
Particularly, those in the shared services and outsourcing; real estate, construction and engineering; manufacturing, and consumer products and retail trade industries are forecasted to have an increase in salary this year.