PAGASA maintains there were enough weather advisories

MANILA, Philippines — Enough advisories were issued before the onslaught of Tropical Storm Enteng, officials of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration asserted yesterday.

PAGASA was reacting to a Facebook post by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda criticizing the weather bureau for its alleged failure to provide enough warning to local government units (LGUs).

At a press conference, PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando disclosed that the weather bureau still implements the “PAR plus five” rule, in which warnings are issued in specific areas in case a weather disturbance develops outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

“Of course, we respect the comment of honorable Congressman Salceda through Facebook. It is correct, we implement the PAR plus five, meaning, our Philippine area of responsibility is expanded by about five degrees so that in case a typhoon develops outside the PAR, we can issue tropical cyclone advisories bulletin,” Servando explained.

In his Facebook post, Salceda wrote: “PAGASA sleeping on the job risking lives. How can we realize or be informed that there is a possible TC (tropical cyclone), TD (tropical depression), LPA (low-pressure area) in less than 12 hours. What happened to the PAR plus five rule?”

“The difference of Tropical Storm Enteng, it developed from a low-pressure area into a typhoon near the landmass of the Visayas, particularly the eastern portion of Samar Island. Before it developed into a typhoon, we had already issued weather advisories amid rains being experienced in the eastern part of the Visayas, even though it was still an LPA,” Servando said.

Last Sunday, PAGASA announced that the LPA had turned into Tropical Depression Enteng before it intensified into a tropical storm that evening.

“The only difference (of Tropical Storm Enteng), is that it had already developed (into a typhoon) within the PAR,” Servando added.

PAGASA deputy administrator for research and development Marcelino Villafuerte II refuted Salceda’s claim that the weather bureau was “sleeping on the job.”

“I would like to mention that we monitor these kinds of inclement weather events 24 hours, so we want