PAGASA debunks claim of Dr. Lagmay
16 January 2019
DOST-PAGASA
Press Release
15 January 2019
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) has debunked the claim of Dr. Mahar Lagmay, UP NOAH Executive Director, that the agency allegedly issued "wrong forecasts and late warnings" during the passage of Tropical Depression Usman.
Dr. Lagmay alleged in his Facebook Account post the wrong forecasts on TD Usman has caused a number of deaths due to landslides and floods particularly in the Bicol Region. He said that PAGASA issued a moderate to heavy rainfall forecast in Bicol on December 28 and 29 2018 instead of intense and torrential rainfall.
On this, PAGASA Administrator Vicente Malano countered such claim and clarified that the agency defines moderate to heavy rainfall in its Severe Weather Bulletins (SWBs) as 24-hour daily accumulated rainfall of 60 to 180 mm and more than 180, respectively. In this premise, the December 28 to 29 PAGASA forecasters had sufficiently warned that the 24-hour accumulated rainfall of moderate to heavy would trigger massive flooding and landslides.
Moreover, Dr. Malano emphasized that PAGASA provides localized rainfall and thunderstorm warning in near-real time through its PAGASA Regional Services Division (PRSD). In the case of TD "USMAN," the Southern Luzon PRSD based in Legazpi City issued a separate color-coded Heavy Rainfall Warnings as supplemental to the HRWs stressed that there was an immediate threat of floods and landslides indicative of emergency actions.
He also explained that although PAGASA downgraded TD Usman into a Low Pressure Area (LPA) upon landfall, PAGASA Central Office and the SLPRSD reiterated their warnings of flooding and landslides as moderate to heavy rainfall would still persist.
Dr. Malano appealed to some concerned sectors to be more careful in the issuance of sweeping statements that may damage the credibility of PAGASA as a warning agency.
"The men and women of PAGASA remain fully committed to their mission of providing reliable and accurate weather-related information," he said.
For more information and clarification, please contact:
Dr. VICENTE B. MALANO
Administrator
(02) 929-4865
Public Information Unit
(02) 434-2696, (02) 9279308
More Press Release
09 September 2020
Recent PAGASA's climate monitoring and analyses suggest that La Niña may develop in the coming months. La Niña is characterized by unusually cool ocean surface ...
Read more16 July 2020
PAGASA has been continuously monitoring the possible development of La Nińa since March 2020. La Nina i...
Read more22 June 2020
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) puts up fight against v...
Read more12 June 2020
Press Statement: 12 June 2020
The occurrence of scattered thunderstorms, Tropical Depression “BUTCHOY” and the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) during...
27 July 2020
SPECIAL WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS (SONA)
27 July 2020
Today (27 July), Metro Manila will have partly cloudy to ...