PAGASA grooms flood expert to replace Mang Tani

After losing one of its most articulate officials, the state weather agency is now grooming another senior official — a flood expert — to be its spokesperson. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Sunday said Susan Espinueva is being trained to speak for the agency, especially in media interviews.

“Siya ang sinasanay para siya ang pwede (Espinueva is being trained so she can speak for the agency)," PAGASA chief Prisco Nilo said on government-run dzRB radio when asked who is being trained as spokesperson for the agency. PAGASA’s former spokesperson, Nathaniel Cruz or Mang Tani as he was fondly called during media interviews, left the country to seek greener pastures abroad. He was also chief of PAGASA's weather division. Espinueva presently heads PAGASA’s Hydrometeorological Division, and has spoken for the agency on several occasions, especially on matters related to flooding. Nilo said Espinueva will not be getting extra pay should she become PAGASA’s spokesperson. “Hindi pa rin (No she will not)," he said when asked if she will get extra pay for her extra job. Saying PAGASA may not afford to raise the salaries of its employees, he said his agency is trying instead to instill patriotism in them. Presently, he said the entry-level monthly salary for a state weather forecaster is P20,000. “Ginagawa natin naga-appeal tayo sa ating kasamahan na forecaster . . . pairalin sa ating bansa maging makabayan (What we are doing now is to appeal to our fellow forecasters to be patriotic)," Nilo said. - KBK, GMANews.TV