PAGASA gets P1.6B to improve weather forecasting

By Alex Villafania INQUIRER.net THE PHILIPPINE Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is set to receive at least P1.6 billion in budget allocation and grants to upgrade its weather and climate forecasting capabilities. The biggest grant came from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which put in P1.08 billion, followed by the Korean International Agency, providing P50 million. The Australian Center for International Agriculture Research gave P5 million while the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Thailand provided P1 million. The Department of Science and Industry, which is the umbrella agency of PAGASA, meanwhile gave P200 million this year. All these grants are on top of the P360 million allocation for PAGASA from the national budget. PAGASA Operational Services Deputy Director Dr. Prisco Nilo said in an interview that this would be the biggest sum of grants and budget the agency received in recent years. Nilo said the amount would go to upgrading the weather bureau’s rainfall measurement tools, storm radars and flood monitoring equipment. These will be placed in major cities with large populations as well as flood-prone areas. The agency will also purchase at least eight Doppler radars, which measures the speed of an incoming tropical depression or storms. Each Doppler radar costs around P50 million to P60 million. Such equipment will give PAGASA more accurate measurements and give advance warning to areas that will be hit by storms. “We’ll also be upgrading our manpower capabilities. The ability of the equipment to measure weather-related phenomenon are just as good as the skills of our weather forecasters,” Nilo said. He noted that PAGASA has at least 1,000 employees and would hire more when some employees retire. Nilo said that the agency would eventually focus on monitoring the specific effects of climate change on the Philippines. So far, there is little empirical data indicating actual effects of global warming in the country.