Zubiri pushes for enhanced PAGASA capabilities to improve weather forecasting

PHILIPPINES, September 16 - Press Release
September 16, 2024

ZUBIRI PUSHES FOR ENHANCED PAGASA CAPABILITIES TO IMPROVE WEATHER FORECASTING

Former Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri urged the government to prioritize upgrading the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) for more accurate and timely weather forecasts to enhance disaster preparedness and management.

Speaking at a Senate Finance Subcommittee K hearing on the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) 2025 budget, sub-panel chair Zubiri emphasized the need for better weather forecasting technology to protect lives and avoid preventable disasters.

"This is a failure of us to inform the people about the weather, and it is a failure of us, as a government, to warn them about the geohazard areas," said Zubiri, who will be defending the DOST budget in plenary.

The budget briefing coincided with the release of the 2024 World Risk Report, where the Philippines was identified as the most disaster-prone among 193 countries.

Zubiri lamented that the country's insufficient weather forecasting capabilities have consistently contributed to the loss of lives during typhoons and other natural disasters, such as with the recent Typhoon Enteng.

He also noted that inaccurate weather warnings often lead to unnecessary class suspensions that may have an effect on the education of children.

"It really boggles the mind, and it happens a lot, that school is called off on a particular day, tapos napakainit sa labas, walang ulan," Zubiri expressed.

"This has an adverse effect on the education of our students, and on the economy as well," he added.

With wrong weather assumptions, Zubiri added, work in national and local government as well as in some private companies can be suspended for several days, which can lead to loss or reduced productivity and adversely affect the economy.

Zubiri pointed out that PAGASA operates with limited equipment - only 11 of its 19 Doppler radars are functional, a critical tool for tracking rainfall, typhoons, and thunderstorms. He said that this lack of equipment hampers PAGASA's ability to provide precise weather information.

"Bakit sa ibang bansa, they can detect the time of rainfall down to the hour? For example, from 10 in the morning to noon, uulan. Bring your umbrella. Dito sa atin, sinasabi lang palagi, 'Today will be sunny, but with scattered rain showers and storms.' Ibig sabihin, baka umulan, baka hindi," Zubiri pointed out.

To address these shortcomings, Zubiri called for the allocation of additional resources to PAGASA.

"Kapag may pagkukulang, baka pwede nating dagdagan ang equipment ninyo. Baka pwede nating dagdagan ang inyong training, or what software or hardware that you need," Zubiri said, committing to helping the PAGASA with its Doppler radars, in particular.

Despite DOST's proposed budget of P49.253 billion for 2025, only P28.772 billion was approved in the National Expenditure Program, with PAGASA receiving a modest increase of P290.915 million.

Zubiri pledged to defend the DOST's budget in the Senate plenary, underscoring the critical role accurate weather forecasting plays in disaster risk reduction.