Enhanced weather forecasting urged

MANILA, Philippines — With the Philippines ranked as the most disaster-prone country in the world, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri has urged the government to prioritize upgrading the state weather bureau for more accurate and timely weather forecasts to enhance disaster preparedness and management.

Based on the 2024 World Risk Index, the Philippines remains at the top of the list of countries most exposed and vulnerable to disasters.

Insufficient weather forecasting capabilities have contributed to casualties during typhoons and other natural disasters, such as the recent Typhoon Enteng, Zubiri said during the Senate finance committee hearing on the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)’s 2025 budget.

“This is a failure of us to inform the people about the weather, and it is a failure of us, as a government, to warn them about the geohazard areas,” said Zubiri, who will be defending the DOST budget in plenary.

Despite the DOST’s proposed budget of P49.253 billion for 2025, only P28.772 billion was approved in the National Expenditure Program.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) received a modest budget increase of P290.915 million.

PAGASA operates with limited equipment, Zubiri said, as only 11 of its 19 Doppler radars used to track rainfall, typhoons and thunderstorms are functional.

Additional resources should be allocated to PAGASA, he said.