Lawmaker seeks higher budget for PAGASA

MANILA, Philippines — Considering that the country is situated in the so-called typhoon belt, a lawmaker at the House of Representatives is seeking higher budget for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to improve its “technological operational capacity.”

1-Pacman Partylist Rep. Mikee Romero has filed House Bill 3588, which proposes to increase the “modernization funding” for PAGASA to “strengthen its role as the premier national weather agency.”

Under the proposed measure, the PAGASA modernization fund will come from various sources such as P2 billion to be taken from the share of the national government in the gross income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

For two years after the effectivity of the proposed measure, if approved, P1 billion should be released to PAGASA every year.

The entire amount of P2 billion, including any interest income thereon, should be used exclusively for capital outlay.

Romero underscored that the agency needs higher funding to ensure that the country fulfills its commitments to international meteorological and climate change agreements.

“The government must undertake the modernization of PAGASA in order for the agency to improve its technological operational capacity, strengthen its role as the premier national weather agency and to attain its vision as a center of excellence for weather-related information services,” he said.

He added that PAGASA is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) agency of the country that is primarily mandated to provide protection from all natural calamities.

He also noted that PAGASA is tasked to “assure the safety, well-being and economic security of all the people, and for the promotion of national progress by undertaking scientific and technological services in meteorology, hydrology, climatology, astronomy and other geophysical sciences.”

“There is also a need to strengthen the capability of government personnel tasked to provide atmospheric, geophysical, astronomical and other weather and climate-related services and information to the public,” Romero said.