Zubiri scores weather bureau's inaccuracy in tracking 'Frank'
A senator who arrived here yesterday to give his rice donation to typhoon victims partly blamed the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Service Administration (Pagasa) for their failure to give accurate and proper warnings in areas devastated by typhoon Frank.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said the people could have prepared had Pagasa made proper warnings in areas where the typhoon was supposed to hit. Pagasa warned the people in Bicol of the typhoon and not Region 5 and 6. They could have anticipated the back way of the typhoon, said Zubiri.
The people as well as the local government units could have initiated measures before the typhoon hits land. "The key in any disaster is preparation." The weather bureau was not efficient in its warning system. They could have issued weather bulletin every hour to keep the people abreast of the weather situation, said Zubiri.
The city and province must prepare for any eventualities caused by the typhoon as we are still looking at 14 typhoons more to hit the country. Proper weather warnings must be done to ensure the safety of lives as well as properties, said Zubiri.
He added, in one of the hearings of the Senate committee on national defense, he has already requested Pagasa to tap the help of the different media outlets from radio, television and newspaper with regard to information dissemination. The weather advisory could be done on both AM and FM radio. There are people who have no time to watch television but have radios to monitor the situation, said the senator.
Yesterday, Zubiri donated 100 sacks of rice for the typhoon victims in Iloilo City. The senator went to the office of Acting Mayor Jed Mabilog for his donations. Recent, partial and official figures provided by the City Social Welfare and Development showed there are already 142 barangays affected in the city. The death toll rose to 18.
The typhoon affected 45,701 families with 227,465 persons. The houses totally swept by the strong current of water reached to 763 and 1,301 houses are partially damaged.