PAGASA is ill-prepared for disaster forecasting –COA

Despite its P1.3 billion budget for 2014, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) lacked proper infrastructure to warn the public of oncoming disasters, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).

 

Specifically, according to the COA’s 2013 Annual Audit Report for PAGASA, the department lacks the ability to accurately predict the impact of super typhoons on the country.

 

Inadequate early warning

 

“The Agency does not have adequate early warning system for Storm Surge to forewarn the public on the possible severe impact of a typhoon as powerful as Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan),” the report said. COA then went on to recommend that PAGASA should develop an early warning system for every typhoon signal so that people would be able to take necessary action.

 

In addition, COA added that PAGASA spent P80 million on the “System to Identify, Quantify, and Map the Storm Surge Threat to Philippine Coasts” project. However, the project lacks measurable targets and outputs, which makes it difficult to evaluate its progress.

 

Creeping progress

 

The COA also critiqued PAGASA for the slow completion of projects funded by the money from DAP. They urged concerned officials to act with urgency, stating that the Philippines is “alarmingly exposed” to frequent and severe natural hazards. If these projects had been implemented sooner, they may have helped mitigate the impact of extreme weather phenomena in vulnerable areas.

 

PAGASA, long beset by "brain drain" problems and creeping modernization, was also unable to complete several projects, since the funding for said projects were supposed to come from the government’s Disbursement Acceleration Program, which was earlier declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. 
 

The incomplete projects may have further hindered PAGASA’s forecasting capabilities, the audit body added. 

 

“Projects with programmed budget of P425 million funded under the Disbursement Acceleration Program remained uncompleted, thus delaying the establishment of facilities/equipment urgently needed for early warning systems and climate change adaption which aims to prevent/mitigate impact of extreme weather phenomenon on hazard prone areas or communities,” the COA said. 

 

Failure to explain

 

Meanwhile, COA also hit PAGASA for failure to explain technical terms during preparations leading up to Yolanda. The audit body said the inadequate means used by the agency to explain certain phenomena such as storm surges could have cost thousands of lives.

 

“PAGASA fell short in the messaging aspect of its risk projection about the possible severe impact of storm surges generated by typhoon Yolanda that may have contributed to the thousands of lives lost in Eastern Visayas. An official from the DOST-PAGASA admitted they were not “able to explain” the magnitude of storm surges in their press briefings and information materials,” the COA report said. 

 

Recommendations

 

In its report, the COA said PAGASA should look into designing an early warning system that will be comprehensive.

 

“We recommended that Management develop or design an  early warning system for Storm Surge wherein for every typhoon signal, depending on the strength of the incoming typhoon, there is a corresponding height of waves and possible distance of flooding that Storm surge may cause to forewarn local and national officials and the public of impending  disaster enough to give lead-time to swiftly undertake emergency measures such evacuation of people to safer grounds, stockpiling of food, medicines and water.” the COA said.

 

Meanwhile, COA also enjoined the weather forecasting agency to improve communication skills, which in turn could be instrumental to saving lives. The COA suggested using terminology already familiar to residents when issuing warnings.

 

“Our experience with Yolanda invites us to focus on the need to improve risk communication to promote better understanding of the threats of disasters. As we have seen, not enough publicunderstanding of storm surges led to increased casualties. The mayor of Tacloban City said more lives could have been spared if the nature of storm surges was described as similar to a tsunami,” the report said. 

 

Upcoming PAGASA statement

 

When asked for comment late Monday, December 1, PAGASA said they would have an official statement prepared within the week to address COA’s claims. — TJD, GMA News