TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 13 (PNA) — Nearly two years after super typhoon Yolanda struck, the state weather bureau office in the province is still waiting for the go signal from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to rebuild their station within the airport complex.
Mario Peñaranda, chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Tacloban station said officials of CAAP main office have not yet signed the memorandum of agreement on building the facility.
“The PHP7-million budget for the construction of two-story building has been available and the contractor has been waiting for the notice to start the project,” Peñaranda said.
Airport authorities in Tacloban said they have signed the deal and endorsed the document to their central office two months ago.
Earlier, CAAP Tacloban designated an area within the airport complex for PAGASA station building and other government offices such as the Philippine Coast Guard and the Leyte police provincial office.
“Our presence at the airport is very important because we provide weather data, information and advice for aviation activities,” Peñaranda said, justifying their location at the airport complex badly hit by big waves.
The PAGASA station in Tacloban was badly damaged by storm surges generated by Yolanda in November 2013, killing one of the bureau’s weather observer.
Weather forecasters currently use an office space in one of the laboratory rooms of the Department of Science and Technology in Government Center, Palo, Leyte.
Despite the absence of office building, their operations has been restored using old and newly acquired instruments, according to Peñaranda. (PNA)
JBP/RCK/SARWELL Q. MENIANO
