PAG-ASA faces shortage of weathermen

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) admitted that it is having a shortage of weather forecasters. Nathaniel Cruz, the agency’s weather forecasting specialist said on Monday that the agency’s forecasters decided to work overseas “because of the better pay there." He said others who could be assigned to the job, chose working at PAG-ASA’s research and development center, which is easier and less tedious compared to weather forecasting. “Pag nasa (If you are in the) weather forecasting section ka kasi, ang trabaho sa loob ay hindi (the work is not) 8 to 5," he said. “Kung baga ang (It’s like a) vocation mo eh nasa loob na talaga (that confines you to work in one place) . That’s why, I think, marami ang nagde-decide na sa (there are many who chose to work on) research na lang mapunta," Cruz explained. Cruz said PAG-ASA currently has 17 personnel in the weather forecasting section who work day and night especially when there are powerful storms or typhoons entering the country’s area of responsibility. He said the need for additional forecasters is felt especially during the rainy season when typhoons enter the islands of Luzon and Visayas. “In order to address this problem, we usually tap persons from...other branches of the agency such as the climatology department to help us out in tracking down typhoons… Although hindi sila eksperto sa work, malaking tulong na rin sila sa amin, (they are not experts in weather forecasting, they are a big help to us" Cruz said. -GMANews.TV