Pagasa forecasts drought in own manpower

The weather bureau forecasts a drought in weather forecasters because of competition from abroad. Two senior weather forecasters were recently hired by Singapore’s weather bureau.

It has thus asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for clearance to hire more weather forecasters in preparation for the typhoon season.

Martin Rellin, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) director, said some of their forecasters are being recruited by a Singapore-based weather agency.

Rellin said he wants to promote some of their field operation officers, flood forecasters and engineers as weather forecasters.

They need to train new weather forecasters for at least one year, he added.

Rellin said since the early ’80s, Pagasa, in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization and the University of the Philippines-Diliman, has been offering graduate courses in meteorology.

The scholars are mandated to provide service to Pagasa for some years equivalent to the time they spent in school, he added.

The scholarship program was a brainchild of Dr. Roman Kintanar, former Pagasa director.

Rellin said few Filipinos are interested in studying meteorology because of limited job opportunities.

"Few are really interested in pursuing MS in Meteorology because of the scarcity of jobs, unlike Commerce graduates, they are always in demand," he said.

Pagasa cannot compete with the large salaries being offered by foreign weather agencies because of its limited budget, Rellin said. – Helen Flores