Naga sets up own typhoon watch
AFTER
the sad lesson of PAG-ASA’s miscue on Typhoon Unding’s disastrous
lashing of Bicol last week, Naguenos were glad to hear that the
city government has launched its “unofficial weather bulletin”
that tracks down every hour oncoming weather conditions, the
latest of which is the approaching Typhoon Yoyong.
With Michael Padua of the Naga College Foundation as “resident
weather forecaster”, the weather bulletins are regularly broadcast
over RMN-DWNX in partnership with the Naga City Government to
provide a detailed presentation and analysis of the weather’s
movements for clearer understanding by concerned residents without
prejudice to the regular weather forecasts being issued by the
PAG-ASA weather station in Camaligan and Manila.
Robredo said the “unofficial” weather bulletin which is
“Naga-focused” uses the Internet as its main tool, particularly
the “Typhoon2000.com” website set up and designed by Padua.
“The experiment (unofficial weather bulletin) becomes more useful,
considering that weather forecasts by PAG-ASA are “Manila-based”,
which at times miss local and actual conditions,” the city mayor
said.
With the availability of modern technology such as the Internet,
localizing weather forecasting and typhoon tracking is long
overdue, Robredo said.
“All it requires is strong partnership with the private sector and
the confidence of the residents that it hopes to serve,” the mayor
explained.
Meanwhile, the city’s website, naga.gov.ph maintains its 24-hour
weather monitoring page, with occasional video streaming of the
city’s disturbed landscape where necessary.
Padua as resident weather forecaster broadcasts his unofficial
weather bulletin through the regular radio programs of DWNX, its
frequency depending on the urgency of weather conditions
obtaining. It also gives precautionary measures and informs
residents of the designated evacuation centers set up by the city
government in case of floods and other emergencies.
