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From chasing waves to watching the sky: PAGASA's new breed of weathermen
Alvin Pura has always had an appreciation for the weather.
Both as an outdoor guide and a surfing and mountain climbing enthusiast, Pura has had to keep an eye out for weather conditions for much of his life. "Naghahabol ako ng mga bagyo," Pura told GMA News Online on Thursday.
Of course, he gained a deeper understanding of the weather when it became his full-time job at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
"Mas nabigyan ng linaw o mas nagkaroon ng explanation sa mga nalalaman ko," he said.
Anyone can look at weather forecasts on the internet, but not everyone knows how to make sense of the models, said Pura. "Kaya naming ipaliwanag, alam namin kung saan nanggaling, kaya namin i-explain."
Understanding the weather is important for surfers, as Pura (above) would know. Photo courtesy of Alvin Pura
Although he himself did not plan to become a forecaster, Pura realized he had a passion for meteorology during training. "Dapat hilig mo rin eh. May interest ka, kasi kapag wala, hindi mo siya maiintindihan," he said.
Pura started out as a facilities technician in 2009. With his background in electronics communication, he was in charge of maintaining flood gauges and warning systems at PAGASA's Hydrometeorological Division.
To become a regular employee, Pura was transferred to the forecasting section. "Weather observer ako noon. So kinailangan kong mag meteorology training," he said.
Training was difficult and involved higher math. "Para kang nag second degree," said Pura, who advised aspiring weather forecasters to study hard.
A weatherman must know how to analyze and adapt quickly, Pura added. "Kasi yung weather, pabago-bago siya eh. Dapat alam mo kung magbabago o makikita mo beforehand. Kung nagbago man na hindi mo nakita, dapat magaadapt ka doon kaagad," he said.
The 31-year-old Pura is among PAGASA's youngest forecasters. While the bureau is reportedly facing a brain drain as its veteran forecasters head for greener pastures, Pura is one of the new members who plan to stay.
"Hindi ko naiisip mag abroad dahil maganda dito sa Pilipinas," Pura told GMA News' Kara David on News to Go on Thursday. Pura noted that the brain drain is not limited to meteorologists, but includes other scientists and professionals.
"Magagaling po ang Pilipino, competent tayo worldwide. In terms naman sa mga forecasters, since na sa archipelago tayo, napapalibutan tayo ng tubig, pabago-bago po ang weather natin so maganda itong training ground para sa forecasters natin," he said.
It is for this reason that forecasters are pirated by outside companies, which offer up to ten times in terms of financial compensation. Joey Figuracion, also a forecaster at PAGASA, said a junior forecaster receives around P25,000.
Figuracion and Pura agreed that this amount is enough, but not for those who have families to support. Last month, PAGASA head Nathaniel Servando left the weather bureau. He is currently teaching in a meteorology school in Qatar, where he is reportedly earning seven times his salary in the Philippines.
When he was still a trainee, Figuracion also received other offers, but he said he has no plans of leaving the bureau. "Naappreciate ko na yung ganda ng profession kung sakali," said Figuracion, who decided to apply to different government agencies after experiencing burn out at his previous job as a technical engineer.
Pura started out as a facilities technician in 2009. With his background in electronics communication, he was in charge of maintaining flood gauges and warning systems at PAGASA's Hydrometeorological Division.
To become a regular employee, Pura was transferred to the forecasting section. "Weather observer ako noon. So kinailangan kong mag meteorology training," he said.
Training was difficult and involved higher math. "Para kang nag second degree," said Pura, who advised aspiring weather forecasters to study hard.
A weatherman must know how to analyze and adapt quickly, Pura added. "Kasi yung weather, pabago-bago siya eh. Dapat alam mo kung magbabago o makikita mo beforehand. Kung nagbago man na hindi mo nakita, dapat magaadapt ka doon kaagad," he said.
The 31-year-old Pura is among PAGASA's youngest forecasters. While the bureau is reportedly facing a brain drain as its veteran forecasters head for greener pastures, Pura is one of the new members who plan to stay.
"Hindi ko naiisip mag abroad dahil maganda dito sa Pilipinas," Pura told GMA News' Kara David on News to Go on Thursday. Pura noted that the brain drain is not limited to meteorologists, but includes other scientists and professionals.
"Magagaling po ang Pilipino, competent tayo worldwide. In terms naman sa mga forecasters, since na sa archipelago tayo, napapalibutan tayo ng tubig, pabago-bago po ang weather natin so maganda itong training ground para sa forecasters natin," he said.
It is for this reason that forecasters are pirated by outside companies, which offer up to ten times in terms of financial compensation. Joey Figuracion, also a forecaster at PAGASA, said a junior forecaster receives around P25,000.
Figuracion and Pura agreed that this amount is enough, but not for those who have families to support. Last month, PAGASA head Nathaniel Servando left the weather bureau. He is currently teaching in a meteorology school in Qatar, where he is reportedly earning seven times his salary in the Philippines.
When he was still a trainee, Figuracion also received other offers, but he said he has no plans of leaving the bureau. "Naappreciate ko na yung ganda ng profession kung sakali," said Figuracion, who decided to apply to different government agencies after experiencing burn out at his previous job as a technical engineer.
PAGASA young guns Alvin Pura (left) and Joey Figuracion
At 26, Figuracion is currently PAGASA's youngest forecaster. The advantage, he said, is that the learning never ends. "Sa weather kasi every day natututo ka... Noong training, 'di pa talaga ma picture 'yung weather eh. Theory lang. Kapag nandoon ka na sa forecasting at nandoon ka na sa work, doon mo na talaga maeexperience," he said.
On the other hand, the challenge is to be accurate. Figuracion added that perhaps critics of PAGASA don't understand that forecasting is tricky, especially in a tropical country surrounded by water. "Maraming nangyayari, so ang pagbabago ng weather ay abrupt sa tropics, 'di tulad sa ibang lugar na consistent," he said.
Pura noted that the bureau has acquired state-of-the-art radars which will help them better predict the weather. Meanwhile, Figuracion said the agency has programs to improve its facilities and technology. "Ang nakikita ko sa PAGASA, maganda naman yung output sa ngayon. Dati kasi, nakita ko yung equipment mga ten years ago, wala pa talaga," he said. — BM, GMA News
On the other hand, the challenge is to be accurate. Figuracion added that perhaps critics of PAGASA don't understand that forecasting is tricky, especially in a tropical country surrounded by water. "Maraming nangyayari, so ang pagbabago ng weather ay abrupt sa tropics, 'di tulad sa ibang lugar na consistent," he said.
Pura noted that the bureau has acquired state-of-the-art radars which will help them better predict the weather. Meanwhile, Figuracion said the agency has programs to improve its facilities and technology. "Ang nakikita ko sa PAGASA, maganda naman yung output sa ngayon. Dati kasi, nakita ko yung equipment mga ten years ago, wala pa talaga," he said. — BM, GMA News
