PAGASA: Flood warning system must be prioritized

MANILA, Philippines — Modernizing the country’s flood forecasting and warning system should be a priority of government as the state weather bureau pointed out that floods continue to be one of the country’s biggest hazards.

Administrator Vicente Manalo of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said there are still plenty of improvements needed to fully equip the country’s flood forecasting and monitoring system to protect the public.

Manalo stressed the need to “continue what has yet to be completed,” particularly programs to improve the flood forecasting and warning mechanism.
“We see that this is what gives us a big problem – flooding,” he said in Filipino.

Manalo said that flood forecasting is a key aspect in aiding disaster risk reduction efforts in the country, which sees at least 20 typhoons coming into its area of responsibility per year.

“There’s a need to prepare for this hazard by way of installing equipment and improving communication,” he said.

He cited as an example Tropical Cyclone Odette, which was the strongest typhoon to hit the country in 2021. Its deadly onslaught across Southern Luzon and the Visayas adversely affected three million families and resulted in the deaths of 405 people.

There were at least 98 areas in six regions that experienced flashfloods, destroying or damaging P29.7 billion in infrastructure and P17.7 billion in agriculture.
While there are 18 major river basins in the country, PAGASA only has a total of 10 rain gauges or X-band radars operational.

These radars monitor rainfall, which is crucial to forecasting floods and warning the public about the hazard, so each river basin must have at least two of this equipment.

Each radar costs about P50 million, said Manalo. “Establishing our flood forecasting and warning (system) should have been completed. Improvements are ongoing, but they’re not yet finished. If we have modern equipment, we should apply them,” he said.