Pagasa exec warns of more excessive rainfall

MANILA, Philippines - A senior official of the weather bureau yesterday called for more flood control measures as scientific data showed a rising trend of excessive rainfall hitting the country that is expected to continue in the coming decades.

Flaviana Hilario, deputy administrator for research and development of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said a recent study conducted by the agency found that extreme rainfall is projected to continue to increase until 2050 in Luzon and the Visayas.

Hilario said a study entitled “Climate Change in the Philippines” is ongoing.

“Moreover, the usually wet seasons become wetter, with the usually dry seasons becoming also drier, and these could lead to more occurrences of floods and dry spells/droughts, respectively,” the study, which was first published in February 2011, revealed.

It also showed that hot temperatures would continue to become more frequent in the future.

“We have to improve our disaster risk reduction measures, specifically land use plan and improvement of the drainage system,” Hilario told The STAR.

Most parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, have suffered from severe flooding due to torrential rains brought by storm-enhanced southwest monsoon in the last two years.

Luzon suffered at least P97.3 million worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure from torrential rainfall and flooding caused by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Maring last month.