MANILA, Philippines?Setting controversy aside, the interim chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Saturday he hopes to leave the bureau early, buckling down to his to-do list for the next three months.

Pagasa officer-in-charge Graciano Yumul Jr., Department of Science and Technology undersecretary for research and development, is assessing the current capacity of Pagasa with the hope of submitting a set of recommendations by the end of his three-month appointment.

He can leave earlier if he finishes the job sooner, said Yumul, adding that he had much to do in his mother unit.

Yumul, a geologist, briefly served in Pagasa in 2005 just before the appointment of Dr. Prisco Nilo, a 27-year Pagasa veteran whom he replaced last week. Nilo has been moved to a special assignment at the DOST.

Yumul currently heads Pagasa as administrator while Nilo's deputy, Nathaniel Servando, oversees forecasting operations.

?I don't see myself in Pagasa for a long time. If I finish in two months, I don't see any reason why I will stay longer,? Yumul told the Inquirer.

Asked how he has been received by old-timers in Pagasa, he said his new officemates have been "very professional."

On orders of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo, Yumul will conduct an audit of official development assistance (ODA) given Pagasa for the procurement of critical weather equipment.

Yumul, as a masteral and doctoral alumnus of the University of Tokyo, said he helped broker some of the ODA deals with the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

?In the first month, we will determine where we are. In the second month, we will have to address the loopholes we see,? said Yumul.

He said Pagasa is not in dire state as widely perceived, adding that equipment for forecasting and communications was already in place.

?The equipment is in place, we just have to improve the systems,? he said.

In his last month, he will prepare a report on Pagasa's status and detail his recommendations for the agency's improvement.

?These are all in the context of Secretary Montejo's message that we have to have a sense of urgency, that we can't do tomorrow what we can already do today,? he said.

Yumul veered away from controversy surrounding his appointment, saying he would rather talk about the tasks ahead than dwell on personal issues.

?It has always been my position that I'd rather elevate the issue to discussing our plans rather than talk about personal animosities,? said Yumul.