BICOL REGION SUFFERED FROM WRONG 'JUANING' FORECAST / DEATH TOLL UP, 35
MANILA, JULY 30, 2011 (TIMES) (Photo - A Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration weather forecaster shows on Wednesday a satellite image of tropical storm Juaning as it hits a large part of Bicol Region and nearby areas. PHOTO BY RUY MARTINEZ)
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd might have to eat humble pie just a few days after he singled out state weather forecaster Pagasa for supposedly doing a good job.
On Thursday, President Aquino said that he wanted the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration investigated over allegations that it was to blame for the devastation of many provinces in Bicol Region, particularly Albay, by tropical storm "Juaning."
Gov. Joey Salceda of Albay on Tuesday described as inaccurate forecasts made by Pagasa on possible damage that Juaning would bring to the province.
Eventually, Albay would be reported as the most severely hit by the tropical storm, belying the state weather forecaster's word that Juaning would not likely pass through the province.
The President said that he had thought that Pagasa was providing him and Salceda similar hourly updates on the tropical storm.
Meanwhile, he extended his condolences to the Albay governor, whose mother died at the height of Juaning after a slip and a fall that caused lethal head injuries.
Mr. Aquino said that he would first give Pagasa the opportunity to give its side on the accusations of Salceda before deciding on any possible move against officials of the state weather forecaster.
"The overall sentiment in general across the country has been [that] they (Pagasa officials) have been on board. 'Pag sinabing uulan, uulan. Pag sinabing malakas ang ulan, malakas talaga ang ulan.
(If they say 'It'll rain, it'll rain. If they say there'll be a downpour, there'll be a downpour).. We'll check, to see if there's validity but I don't think at this point in time I have seen any evidence [that] they were not on board," Mr. Aquino said.
In his second State of the Nation Address before a joint session of Congress on Monday, he extolled Pagasa's new-found efficiency, drawing applause from the crowd.
Salceda also on Tuesday said that the pat from the President seemed to have gone to the head of Pagasa.
Pinuri lang sila ni Presidente, kaya ang lakas ng loob nila magkamali (They were just praised by the President, and so they had the nerve to make mistakes)," the Albay governor noted.
In another address also on Wednesday, this time at the opening rites of the 2011 National Science and Technology Week, Mr. Aquino said that the government intends to put up additional automated weather stations (AWS) to aid in keeping tabs on the weather especially during typhoon season in the country.
The Department of Science and Technology pushes the use of the AWS, which, the President said, can help detect a typhoon or a change in the weather much earlier.
FROM THE PHILSTAR
Death toll rises to 35; Pagasa seeks dialogue with Albay governor By Perseus Echeminada (The Philippine Star) Updated July 29, 2011 12:00 AM
(Photo - A resident crosses a damaged bridge connecting the municipalities of Ligao and Pio Duran, Albay yesterday. The death toll from typhoon 'Juaning' has risen to 35, mostly from the Bicol region. EDD GUMBAN)
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) will seek an audience with Albay Gov. Joey Salceda to resolve the controversy over the alleged delayed forecast of the weather bureau on tropical storm "Juaning" that hit the Bicol region last Wednesday.
Science and Technology Undersecretary Graciano Yumul yesterday told reporters during the weekly Broadcasters Forum that they will seek a dialogue with Salceda to settle the controversy.
"We will go to Albay and seek dialogue with the governor to extend our condolences and also to explain our (weather bureau's) side," he said, referring to the death of the governor's mother Cielo Sarte Salceda at the height of the storm.
Mrs. Salceda died after she had a fall in the family restroom at past midnight after their house was flooded and a blackout hit Polangui town due to heavy rains.
Yumul, PAGASA's supervising undersecretary, was reacting to the complaint of the Albay governor over the delay in raising the storm warning signal despite heavy rains and winds that battered the region.
Salceda said the failure of PAGASA to raise the storm signal delayed the suspension of classes, prompting the provincial government to issue their own suspension of classes in the area.
President Aquino has already ordered an investigation into the alleged failure of PAGASA to issue the accurate weather report during the storm.
Yumul, however, defended the bureau that issued weather bulletins as soon as the tropical depression started intensifying into a storm.
He said the bureau started issuing weather bulletins on July 25 during the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
"We have a weather paper trail and we conducted a press conference and submitted our report to the concerned agencies," Yumul said.
He said PAGASA issued the weather bulletin based on the world meteorological standard and raising of a storm warning signal is based on the strength of the wind and not on the volume of rain.
"We cannot raise storm signal just because people in the area are reporting heavy rains," he said.
Yumul said the agency provided "on-time and accurate" information to the public, particularly to local government units along the path of the storm.
He insisted that the bureau warned the local officials, through the Office of Civil Defense, that rains were going to pour over Bicol due to Juaning as early as last week.
The OCD's job is to relay the information from PAGASA to local governments down to the barangay level.
Yumul said he would sit down with concerned government officials to identify any communication problems.
Meanwhile, Ang Kasangga sa Kaunlaran party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco sent P500,000 cash to the Albay government to help the province recover from the destruction caused by the storm.
Haresco, vice chairman of the Joint Oversight Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, said the financial aid was sourced from his pork barrel fund.
He said there is a need to act immediately to aid the typhoon-stricken province and called on other sectors to help those affected by the storm.
"Juaning has destroyed many homes and rendered kilometers of roadways and bridges impassable, isolating those in direst need," he said, adding the resulting delay in the delivery of relief goods and services would expand the "gravity of this humanitarian disaster."
He said alternate routes and infrastructure should be constructed to prevent the province from being isolated during severe storms.
"I hope this shows government that the clamor for alternate modes of transportation, such as modular ports, is a crucial element of disaster preparedness, and that viability is not always entirely based on economics," Haresco said.
He said roll on-roll off vessels would have the capability to deliver relief goods in bulk and that the presence of seaborne routes would effectively shorten their delivery periods to calamity areas.
The Diocese of Legaspi has started soliciting aid for the families who have been displaced and affected by the storm.
In an interview over the Church-run Radio Veritas, Diocese of Legaspi Social Action director Fr. Ramoncito Segubienze said that parts of Legaspi City, Ligon, Polangui and Malinao are still flooded.
He appealed to Good Samaritans, from the government and private sectors, to help the victims of Juaning who are temporarily staying in evacuation centers. – With Helen Flores, Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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