Pagasa to public: Monitor rainfall advisories

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) yesterday urged the public to monitor and heed rainfall and storm warnings, following the flashflood that hit parts of Metro Manila on Thursday.

Heavy rains spawned by an enhanced southwest monsoon left several areas in the metropolis flooded, triggering traffic jams and leaving thousands of students and commuters stranded.

PAGASA has been issuing thunderstorm advisories, warning the public of possible flashfloods and landslides due to heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon in the past several days.

Under the thunderstorm advisory, PAGASA classifies rainfall as light, moderate, heavy and torrential.

PAGASA weather forecaster Jun Galang said the rainfall recorded in its station located at the Port Area in Manila last Thursday was 76 mm for a 24-hour period; 35.3 mm in Quezon City; and 33 mm in Parañaque City.

Galang said PAGASA directly sends advisories to the local government officials, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and other concerned agencies when there are threats of heavy rains.

The advisories are also being relayed to the public through PAGASA’s Facebook and Twitter accounts and text messages.

The media also play a big role in sending the agency’s warnings on heavy rains.

Rains this weekend

PAGASA continued to warn the public yesterday against possible flashfloods and landslides as the southwest monsoon would continue to bring moderate to heavy rains over the country this weekend.

PAGASA said the provinces of Palawan, Mindoro, Cavite, Batangas, Zambales and Bataan would still experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms until today.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country would be cloudy with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Rains associated with the southwest monsoon usually occur in the afternoon or early evening and are usually accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Color-coded warning scheme

PAGASA is not yet using its color-coded rainfall warning scheme as the system is activated only when the bureau starts to record 7.5 to 15 millimeters per hour of rain.

In June last year, the weather agency piloted the color-coding rainfall warning scheme in Metro Manila but the advisories were issued too late for the public to be able to act on the information.

Under a yellow warning, the rainfall is between 7.5 mm and 15 mm. This means flooding in low-lying areas is possible.

Under an orange warning, the rainfall is between 15 mm and 30 mm, which means residents should prepare for possible evacuation due to threat of flooding.

Under a red warning, the observed rainfall is more than 30 mm and serious flooding is expected.

Suspension of classes

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) yesterday reminded local government executives to announce class suspension as early as possible during inclement weather.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali said that Executive Order 66 provides that in the absence of typhoon warnings, local officials can implement localized suspension of classes in coordination with the weather bureau or the NDRRMC.

Under the EO, school officials are also tasked to coordinate with local chief executives in their areas to prevent confusion regarding the suspension of classes.

“The policy and protocol observed by CHED is automatic suspension of classes in higher education with storm signal number 3. Otherwise the decision is left to school heads or local governments,” the agency said in a statement.

Under the rules, classes are automatically suspended in kindergarten and preschool as soon as storm warning signals are raised by PAGASA.

In areas where storm signal no. 1 is raised, classes in kindergarten and pre-schools are suspended. In areas where storm signal no. 2 is hoisted, classes in elementary and high school are suspended. When storm signal no. 3 is raised, classes in all levels are suspended.

“We urge local officials to coordinate with PAGASA so they can base their decisions on the agency’s weather forecasts,” Umali said.

“The suspension of classes should (also) be based on the situations in which schools find themselves. For instance, floods are usually localized and therefore suspension would be appropriate in some areas and not in others. In fact, some HEIs (higher education institutions) with multiple campuses suspend classes in affected campuses but not in others,” the CHED added.

Rescheduling the opening of classes

The rainy season usually covers at least six months of the school year that ends in March.

There are proposals to move the opening of classes from June to September to avoid class suspensions due to rains and floods.

But PAGASA deputy administrator for research and development Flaviana Hilario said that only students from the National Capital Region (NCR) and provinces in the western section of the country will benefit from the rescheduling of class opening.

Hilario said that areas under Type 1 climate – the NCR, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales and Tarlac – experience dry weather from November to April and have peak rainy seasons during June and July.

Areas under Type 2 climate – those in the eastern side of the country – have peak rainy seasons from October to January.

Exodus of PAGASA veterans

Amid the looming need for the services of PAGASA with the coming of the rainy season, Malacañang remains unfazed by veteran weather forecasters leaving government service for good, saying there will be new staff members who will replace them.

It was reported that at least 22 weather forecasters quit their jobs at PAGASA from 2005 to 2011 for better-paying jobs abroad.

But deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said yesterday “we have new forecasters that are coming in and are also looking out to prove their mettle and, hopefully, they will work out. They know the responsibilities that will be passed on to them.”

She also disagreed with observations that the veteran weathermen left PAGASA out of frustration, saying that it is normal for every individual to seek greener pastures.

Flooding in the metropolis

Meanwhile, Sen. Loren Legarda expressed disappointment over the flashfloods that left students and employees stranded due to impassable roads in the metropolis.

“We cannot just get used to this kind of scenario, we have to do something and we have to act now because heavy and excessive rainfall is part of the new norm,” Legarda said.

“The continuous implementation and strengthening of flood control projects is very much needed,” she added.

She cited the drainage protection programs of the Department of Public Works and Highways along national roads and bridges and the relocation of informal settlers living along riverbanks and esteros.

She also emphasized the need to continue working on drainage improvement and watershed projects in selected locations and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s estero clean-up drive to allow floodwater to subside easily.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas also assured the public that the safety of informal settler-families living along dangerous waterways is the government’s concern.

Roxas gave the assurance as he led government efforts to step up its disaster preparedness program with a flood drill in barangay 201 on the banks of Tripa de Gallina, a narrow waterway in Pasay City. – With Delon Porcalla, Marvin Sy, Cecille Suerte Felipe