New PAGASA chief to serve only for 3 months — Palace

Science undersecretary Graciano Yumul Jr., the new head of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration will serve for only three months and will likely be replaced after that, Malacañang said Saturday. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also said former PAGASA chief Prisco Nilo, who was sacked from his post Friday, has been reassigned to do “special studies." “Ilang buwan lang siya, three months lang siya, sabi ni Sec. (Mario) Montejo (Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo told me Yumul will head PAGASA for only three months)," Lacierda said on government-run dzRB radio. He said Montejo gave no indication who will replace Yumul after the three-month period, or if Nilo will be reappointed to head the state weather agency. President Aquino sacked Nilo from the top PAGASA post, nearly a month after reprimanding Nilo for PAGASA’s failure to predict tropical cyclone “Basyang" (Conson) would hit Metro Manila. DzRB cited reports that Nilo’s sacking saddened many personnel at PAGASA. In the meantime, Lacierda said PAGASA will undergo “reorientation," particularly in improving the weather division. “Essentially they are going to improve the weather division using other methods, and really reorient PAGASA. [Montejo claimed] we will see results in a matter of six months," Lacierda said. On the other hand, he said there is no indication of who will replace Yumul after his three-month stint. “Hindi pa alam anong decision sa kung sino ang papalit (There is no decision who will replace Yumul), he said. — LBG, GMANews.TV