PALO, Leyte -- The state weather bureau here is still waiting for the construction of its station building at the airport complex in Tacloban City that was destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Tacloban station chief Mario Peñaranda said the P7-million budget for the two-story building was already transferred to the contractor.
He hopes that construction will kick off within February and will be completed in five months.
“The building of Tacloban weather station should start as soon as possible in order for us to efficiently provide weather data, information, and advisories especially for aviation activities,” Peñaranda said.
Issuance of weather data for safe air navigation has been temporarily handled by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) pending the completion of the Pagasa office building inside the airport complex.
Since Pagasa only shares a room with the Department of Science and Technology regional office here, the weather bureau has been turning down requests for educational tours from various schools in the region.
“There is an allotted space for lectures in our new office building, so activities such as students' visits will resume in our new building,” Peñaranda added.
Pagasa Tacloban resumed its post-Yolanda daily operations using old and newly-acquired equipment despite the absence of a permanent office space. (PNA)