Marcos to Pagasa: Be dynamic in weather forecast

Amid criticisms over lack of enough warnings on Tropical Storm Enteng, President Marcos directed yesterday officials of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to be more “dynamic” in making forecasts and issuing public advisories, especially during weather disturbances.

- HELEN FLORES

Marcos conducted an aerial inspection of Marikina and Antipolo, Rizal yesterday afternoon to check on the damage brought by the storm. The presidential helicopter flew over some barren mountainous areas of Rizal that Marcos said is a primary cause of the landslides and flooding that claimed lives.

“We will have to look very, very closely at your forecasting, the meteorologists – meteorology assessment is the one that will guide our response,” the President said during a briefing with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“And PAGASA, you’re going to have to be the guide what will really happen,” he said.

The President noted the task of weather forecasting has become “more and more difficult” because of climate change, since weather systems now develop much more quickly than they used to, he added.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda was among those who criticized the weather bureau for its alleged failure to provide enough warning to local government units before the onslaught of Enteng.

PAGASA officials asserted that enough advisories were issued before the onslaught of Enteng, insisting that it applied the PAR plus five, meaning, the Philippine area of responsibility is expanded by about five degrees in case a typhoon develops outside the PAR.

Agri damage