Need weather info? Call your congressman

If you can’t access the weather bureau during when disasters threaten, your congressional representative may soon be able to give you all the weather information you need.

Under a proposed agreement between the House of Representatives and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the weather bureau will regularly provide the House secretary general with weather-related information.

These include bulletins, warnings and advisories related to typhoons and floods, as well as other weather- and climate-related information that could affect people’s safety and welfare.

The House secretary general will disseminate the Pagasa data to all House members. The lawmakers, in turn, will directly transmit weather bulletins, warnings and advisories to their districts.

The proposed memorandum of agreement noted that prompt distribution of weather information was crucial to prevent or minimize the devastating effects of natural calamities. Lawmakers were in a position to help spread the data, it said.

“One major component of disaster mitigation from natural hazards is fast and effective dissemination and communication of weather information, warnings, and advisories,” it said.

“Members of the House of Representatives have fast and direct access to communities and constituents in their districts, and could be of help in transmitting typhoon- and flood-related advisories and warnings,” it said

Pagasa’s legal division is still reviewing the agreement, which is why it has not been signed yet, said Agham party-list Representative Angelo Palmones, who suggested the idea last year. Leila B. Salaverria