More meteorologists needed in RP

MANILA, Philippines - A party-list composed of science advocates yesterday said they will be pushing for the increase of meteorological experts in the country to strengthen weather and climate services in the Philippines. 

The Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Mamamayan (AGHAM), one of the 144 party-list groups accredited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to participate in the May 10 elections, said there must be more meteorologists in the country because of the frequent occurrence of weather events here.

Two deadly storms devastated the country between the last week of September to October. Typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” killed hundreds and destroyed billions worth of infrastructure, private property, livelihood, and agricultural assets.

“One of our priorities is to help increase the number of meteorologists in the country,” AGHAM president Angelo Palmones said.

Palmones said there are no schools in the country offering a four-year bachelor’s degree in meteorology despite it being “one of the best fields.” It is only offered in the master’s degree program.

“The colleges and universities should include meteorology in their curriculum,” Palmones said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said they have a sufficient number of meteorologists but only few are trained in weather forecasting.

Pagasa deputy administrator Nathaniel Cruz said the weather bureau has 14 weather forecasters.

Cruz said earlier that some of Pagasa’s weather forecasters have been “pirated” by international weather agencies that offer to double or even triple the salaries they were getting.

Cruz himself worked as a weather forecaster in Saudi Arabia in 1989 and was paid $1,000 a month.