Pagasa urges LGUs to build own weather stations

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) urged local government units to help finance the construction of weather stations in their areas.

This after Pagasa revealed its plan to build weather stations in every municipality in the country to enhance its meteorological service to the public.

Ma. Cecilia Monteverde, chief-of-staff of the Office of the Director, said these stations will provide their forecasters sufficient data on the condition of the atmosphere in specific areas.

She said Pagasa alone, with its limited annual budget of around P500 million, cannot shoulder the expenses of establishing several field stations. Monteverde, however, did not say how much it would cost to build a station.

She said based on their study, the ideal distance for every field station is 20 kilometers.

So far, the country has only eight weather stations.

Pagasa weather branch chief Nathaniel Cruz, meanwhile, cited the municipality of Dumangas in Iloilo for establishing its own weather station. He said the town achieved economic growth because of the weather information being provided by Pagasa.

The local government shoulders the maintenance of Pagasa equipment as well as the salaries of its personnel while weather experts provide the technical and scientific aspects, he said.

Former Dumangas mayor Rolando Distura had said crop production in Dumangas significantly grew by 300 percent with the help of Pagasa’s Agro-meteorological station.

Pagasa earlier said it aims to install 10 Doppler radars by 2010.

The Doppler radars are capable of generating short-term but highly accurate weather forecasts. It can also predict rainfall intensity in specific areas.

Doppler radars are to be installed in Mindanao, Subic, Zambales; Tagaytay City; Baguio City; Baler, Quezon; Aparri, Cagayan; Virac, Catanduanes; Guiuan, Eastern Samar; and Cebu City.