Headlines

Congress fails to pass PAGASA modernization bill

Louis Bacani - The Philippine Star

June 7, 2013 | 9:50am

MANILA, Philippines - The 15th Congress adjourned sine die on Thursday with both chambers failing to act on the bill modernizing the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical And Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The Senate failed to pass the PAGASA Modernization Act of 2012 due to the lack of quorum. Resigned Senate Majority Floor leader Vicente Sotto III said the Upper House needs the presence of 11 senators to approve a bill.

â€There are only 15 senators present when we made a roll call but only 10 senators [present] when we were about to approve the last MalacaÃ±ang-certified bill,â€ Sotto said.

However, he said the Senate legislative division would still try to consider the PAGASA modernization bill as enrolled bill in MalacaÃ±ang after outgoing Sen. Edgardo Angara moved to adopt a House version of the same measure.

â€Technically, there is some hope that the PAGASA modernization bill might be sent as enrolled bill to Malacanang. We will check it out with legislative division if we can do that,â€ Sotto said.

The House of Representatives also did not act on the measure.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Friday that President Benigno Aquino III had already certified the bill as urgent on June 5, a day before Congress adjourned and failed to act on it.

"Sayang naman po kung hindi ito maipapasa nitong Kongreso," said Valte, adding that the bill is one the measures already on the advanced stage of legislation. "This is something we sorely need."

Under the proposed law, the modernization program to be implemented over a period of three years, shall upgrade physical resources and operational techniques through the acquisition of state-of-the art instruments, equipment and facilities in providing timely and reliable forecasting and warning service.

The measure also aims to improve the countryâ€™s warning services to equip the general public with information to protect agriculture, transportation and other industries across the country.

"With the modernization program of PAGASA, it shall serve as a technology-based financially stable data center thus, becoming the central information station for real time weather updates available to every individual and for the Philippines' typhoon preparedness plan," Agham Party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones, one of the authors of the bill, said in an earlier statement.

The bill also recognizes the need for the government to develop mechanisms for integrating management and socio-economic development planning at national and local levels. It also hopes to establish regional weather service centers in strategic areas in the country.

The measure also mandates certain state universities and colleges, including the University of the Philippines, to offer undergraduate degrees in meteorology within three years from enactment of the proposed act.