‘Pagasa ready to absorb work of Project NOAH’

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will have 20 Doppler radars by 2020 that will provide more accurate and early detection of weather disturbances, the chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

At the same time, PAGASA administrator Vicente Malano said the weather bureau was ready to absorb the work of Project NOAH that wraps up this month.

NOAH stands for Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards.

Malano issued the statement following the appeal of Project NOAH executive director Mahar Lagmay to institutionalize the project instead of letting it be absorbed into the state weather agency.

According to Malano, there are 15 Doppler radars currently operational in different parts of the country and “by 2020 we’re hoping to have 20.”

In a press conference during the turnover of state-of-the-art Doppler radars by the Japanese government to the weather agency, Malano said aside from the 15 Doppler radars, PAGASA also acquired three mobile radars, one of which was temporarily stationed in Baler, Aurora.

The mobile radars will be used to cover the “blind spots,” or areas that cannot be reached by long-range radars, he explained.