PAGASA: 24 areas may experience ‘dangerous’ heat index on April 16

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Apr 16, 2024 07:35 AM

  

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Families beat the heat at a public beach in Noveleta, Cavite on Black Saturday, March 30, 2024 (Arnold Quizol/Manila Bulletin)

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said 24 locations may record heat index values in the “danger” category on Tuesday, April 16.

PAGASA said Dagupan City, Pangasinan may experience a heat index of 46℃, while Aparri, Cagayan; Aborlan, Palawan; Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) station Pili, Camarines Sur; Iloilo City, Iloilo; and Zamboanga City, Zamboanga may register a heat index of 43℃.

Meanwhile, a heat index of 42℃ may be recorded in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) station in Pasay City; Laoag City, Ilocos Norte; Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; Isabela State University (ISU) station in Echague, Isabela; Clark Airport station in Pampanga; Central Luzon State University (CLSU) station in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija; Baler radar in Aurora; Casiguran, Aurora; Sangley Point, Cavite; Ambulong, Tanauan, Batangas; Coron, Palawan; San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Virac synop station in Cataduanes; Masbate City, Masbate; Roxas City, Capiz; Dumangas, Iloilo; and Catarman, Northern Samar.

PAGASA defines the heat index as the measurement of how hot it feels when relative humidity is combined with the actual air temperature.

It said a heat index ranging from 42°C to 51°C indicates imminent "danger," as "heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely," and "heat stroke is probable with continued activity."

PAGASA recorded the country’s highest heat index so far this year on March 27 in Roxas City, Capiz at 48°C.

Up to 44°C heat index may be recorded in next 2 days — PAGASA

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Photo from Pixabay

Prepare for extremely hot weather in the next two days, with a potential highest heat index of 44 degrees Celsius (°C), said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Wednesday, April 10.

PAGASA's two-day forecast shows that Dagupan City, Pangasinan, may experience a 44°C heat index on Thursday and Friday, April 11 and 12.

Since April 8, Dagupan City's heat index has been at 44°C. 

On Thursday, the heat index may reach 43°C in Puerto Princesa City and Aborlan town, both in Palawan province, and 42°C in Bacnotan, La Union and Roxas City, Capiz.

On Friday, a 43°C heat index may be recorded in Bacnotan, La Union; Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Aborlan, Palawan; and Roxas City, Capiz.

Meanwhile, Aparri, Cagayan; Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur; and Cotabato City, Maguindanao may register a 42°C heat index.

PAGASA said a heat index ranging from 42°C to 51°C indicates imminent "danger," as "heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely," and "heat stroke is probable with continued activity."

73% of Filipinos expecting a ‘happy’ Christmas — SWS

Most thankful for good health, family, being alive

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Dec 24, 2023 09:49 AM

  

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Photo from Pixabay

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from Dec. 8 to 11 revealed that 73 percent of adult Filipinos are expecting this year’s Christmas to be “happy” (masaya), while 6 percent are anticipating it to be “sad” (malungkot).

Meanwhile, 21 percent of Filipinos are expecting this Christmas to be neither happy nor sad.

“The 73 percent expecting a happy Christmas is the same as in 2022 and 23 points above the record-low 50 percent in 2020. It is still six points below the pre-pandemic level of 79 percent in 2019,” SWS said in its report released on Dec. 23. 

Expectation of happy Christmas hardly changes across all areas, educational levels

SWS noted that for 2023, those expecting a happy Christmas were highest in the Visayas at 78 percent, followed by Mindanao at 74 percent, Balance Luzon at 70 percent, and Metro Manila at 72 percent.

Compared to 2022, the expectation of a happy Christmas stayed at 78 percent in the Visayas, while it hardly changed from 75 percent in Mindanao, 71 percent in Balance Luzon, and 71 percent in Metro Manila.

Those expecting a happy Christmas also hardly changed across educational levels, SWS said. 

Compared to 2022, those expecting a happy Christmas hardly moved from 74 percent to 75 percent among college graduates, from 74 percent to 75 percent among junior high school graduates, from 73 percent to 71 percent among elementary graduates, and from 68 percent to 64 percent among non-elementary graduates.

Filipinos most thankful for good health, family, being alive

Grouping the responses to the open-ended question, “As Christmas and the end of the year approaches, may I know what one or two things are you most thankful for in your life right now?,” the December 2023 survey found 51 percent most thankful for “good health,” 29 percent for “family,” and 16 percent for “being alive.”

The respondents were allowed to give up to two answers.

Following the top three responses were job/career/income (10 percent), food to eat (8 percent), coping with daily hardships (8 percent), prosperity (5 percent), all the blessings (3 percent), education (3 percent), peace and safety (3 percent), and God (2 percent).

Meanwhile, 1 percent of the responses were related to lovelife/spouse, motorcycle/vehicle, surviving an illness or surgery, happy life, house, financial support, having no worries or problems, and material things. 

Less than 1 percent answered being able to help others (0.3 percent), while the rest of the other responses consisted of 1 percent.

The remaining 2 percent did not give an answer.

The fourth quarter 2023 SWS survey was fielded through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide.

It has sampling error margins of ±2.8 percent for national percentages, and ±5.7 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Pulse Asia: Most Filipinos facing 2024 with hope

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Dec 22, 2023 12:54 PM

  

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(Photo by Arnold Quizol/Manila Bulletin)

Even with all the difficulties Filipinos encounter every day, majority of them—92 percent—remain optimistic, saying they will face the new year with hope, a Pulse Asia survey showed.

“This is the prevailing sentiment in every geographic area and socio-economic grouping (84 percent to 95 percent and 90 percent to 92 percent, respectively),” Pulse Asia said in its report released on Friday, Dec. 22.

The survey, which was fielded through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents, was conducted nationwide from Dec. 3 to 7. 

“Only 1 percent will face 2024 without hope, while 7 percent are ambivalent on the matter. These figures do not differ significantly from those recorded by Pulse Asia Research in November 2022,” it said.

Christmas expectation

The survey also found that 41 percent of Filipinos expect this year’s holiday celebrations to be just as prosperous as last year.

“This sentiment is echoed by sizeable pluralities to small majorities in Metro Manila (62 percent), the rest of Luzon (48 percent), Class D (41 percent), and Class E (34 percent),” Pulse Asia said.  

“In the Visayas and Class ABC, nearly the same percentages expect this year’s holiday celebration to be either more prosperous or as prosperous as the one they experienced in December 2022 (30 percent to 42 percent versus 34 percent to 47 percent),” it added.

Meanwhile, in Mindanao, there is a four-way split, with 31 percent expecting a more prosperous celebration this year, 30 percent expecting the opposite, 20 percent expecting their celebration to be as prosperous as last year, and another 20 percent expecting the same as last year, which was not prosperous.

“The percentages of those expecting their upcoming holiday celebration to be either the same as last year that was not prosperous or less prosperous than a year ago increase during this period [November 2022 to December 2023] (+6 and +7 percentage points, respectively),” Pulse Asia said.

“Similarly, the percentage of Mindanawons saying this year’s holiday celebration will be the same as last year that was not prosperous goes up (+16 percentage points) while the percentage of those expecting a less prosperous celebration this year rise in the Visayas (+16 percentage points), Mindanao (+28 percentage points), and Class E (+19 percentage points),” it added.

However, it pointed out that there is a decline in the percentage of Filipino adults who anticipate this year’s holiday celebrations to be more prosperous than the one they had a year ago (-13 percentage points).

“The same movement takes places in Metro Manila (-14 percentage points), the Visayas (-24 percentage points), Mindanao (-15 percentage points), Class D (-12 percentage points), and Class E (-19 percentage points),” Pulse Asia said.

“Aside from these changes, the only other significant change between November 2022 and December 2023 is the drop in the percentage of Mindanawons expecting their holiday celebration this year to be as prosperous as last year (-28 percentage points),” it said.

Tropical cyclone ‘Kabayan’ tracker

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Dec 18, 2023 11:51 AM

  

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Tropical depression Kabayan’s track and intensity forecast (PAGASA)

11 a.m., Dec. 18

“Kabayan” weakened into a tropical depression after its landfall over Manay, Davao Oriental.

Based on the 11 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, Kabayan was almost stationary near the vicinity of Caraga, Davao Oriental. 

It is expected to continue to traverse the rough terrain of Mindanao and emerge over the Sulu Sea between Monday afternoon and evening.

9:30 a.m., Dec. 18

Tropical storm Kabayan has made landfall over Manay, Davao Oriental.

8 a.m., Dec. 18 

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 remains hoisted over six provinces in Mindanao as tropical storm “Kabayan” (international name: Jelawat) is about to make landfall over Davao Oriental on Monday morning, Dec. 18.

PAGASA located the center of the tropical storm over the coastal waters of Manay, Davao Oriental.

It has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.

5 a.m., Dec. 18

Tropical storm Kabayan was over the coastal waters of Caraga, Davao Oriental.

It has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph, while moving west-northwestward at 15 kph. 

Magnitude 5.9 quake rocks Davao de Oro — Phivolcs

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Oct 20, 2023 07:51 AM

  

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Phivolcs

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake rocked Davao de Oro province early Friday morning, Oct. 20, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Phivolcs said the earthquake, which struck at 2:58 a.m., had its epicenter 35 kilometers (km) southeast of New Bataan, Davao de Oro.

It occurred at a shallow depth of 13 km beneath the epicenter. 

Phivolcs said the quake was felt at Intensity V (strong) in Caraga in Davao Oriental and New Bataan, Maragusan, and Pantukan in Davao de Oro.

It was also felt at Intensity IV (moderately strong) in Nabunturan, Compostela, Monkayo, Mawab, Montevista, Laak, Mabini, and Maco in Davao de Oro; Intensity III (weak) in Davao City and Tagum City in Davao del Norte; and Intensity I (scarcely perceptible) in Bislig City and Tandag City in Surigao del Sur.

Phivolcs said the earthquake was tectonic, which means it was caused by the movement of an active fault near the area.

It also said that there may have been damage caused by the earthquake and warned the public about potential aftershocks. 

LPA may enter PAR within 24 to 48 hours — PAGASA

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

  

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The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Sunday, Oct. 8 said the low pressure area (LPA) east of Visayas may enter the country’s area of responsibility within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Weather specialist Daniel James Villamil said the LPA was last spotted 1,845 kilometers east of Visayas. 

While the likelihood of the weather disturbance developing into a tropical depression remains low, Villamil said the trough or extension of the LPA may bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to some parts of Southern Luzon, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas as early as Tuesday, Oct. 10.

As of Sunday, the LPA still has no direct effect on any part of the country.

PAGASA said the entire archipelago may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to the southwest monsoon and localized thunderstorms in the next 24 hours.

The public is advised to be vigilant against possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms, which are often accompanied by sudden heavy rains, lightning, thunder, gusts of wind, and sometimes hail.

All wind signals lifted as typhoon Jenny no longer affecting PH — PAGASA

Brewing cyclone monitored outside PAR

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Oct 6, 2023 09:07 AM

  

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The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Friday, Oct. 6 lifted all tropical cyclone wind warnings issued due to typhoon Jenny (international name: Koinu), as it no longer directly affected any part of the country.

In its final bulletin for Jenny, PAGASA last spotted the center of the eye of the typhoon 385 kilometers (km) west-northwest of Itbayat, Batanes.

It left the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 5. 

“Typhoon Jenny is less likely to directly bring heavy rainfall over the country throughout the forecast period. Furthermore, the effect of the typhoon on the southwest monsoon (habagat) has weakened, although the western section of Luzon may still experience some rain showers,” PAGASA said.

Improved weather

Meanwhile, the trough or extension of Jenny may still bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Ilocos Norte, Batanes, and Babuyan Islands.

Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to habagat may also affect Metro Manila, Zambales. Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan. 

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

New LPA

PAGASA is also monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) outside the PAR that may develop into a tropical cyclone in the next few days.

Weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said the LPA was located 1,950 km east of Luzon.

It is moving westward and may enter the PAR by weekend, he pointed out.

The next tropical cyclone name on PAGASA’s list is “Kabayan.”

Sara enjoys ‘high’ trust ratings as VP, DepEd chief — Tangere survey

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Sep 22, 2023 02:14 PM

  

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Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte (Photo from DepEd)

Despite looming concerns about the use of confidential funds, Sara Duterte received high trust ratings as Vice President and secretary of the Department of Education, Tangere’s September 2023 survey showed.

According to the survey results released on Friday, Sept. 22, 70 percent of Filipinos trust Duterte as vice president.

“The trust on the vice president is mainly driven by Mindanao dwellers, and distrust or doubt is heavily prevalent among the younger (18 to 25-year-olds) and senior (51 years old and above) age groups, as well as Southern Luzon/Bicol Region dwellers,” Tangere said.

“Mirroring the result of the trust for VP Sara. The trust for VP Sara as the DepEd secretary remains the same at a 70 percent score. However, like the previous trust question, distrust is among the young and senior age group, as well as Southern Luzon/Bicol Region dwellers,” it pointed out.

During the same survey period, 56 percent of respondents were aware of Vice President Duterte’s proposed confidential funds.

“The knowledge or awareness is being propelled more by the younger age group (18 to 25-year-olds) and the upper income class,” Tangere said.

Meanwhile, six out of 10 Filipinos are concerned that the confidential fund may be larger than the funds of the Department of National Defense—a concern that is particularly strong among the younger age group.

Tangere’s survey, which was administered from Sept. 13 to 15 using a mobile-based respondent application, has a sample size of 2,400 participants.

The percentage of respondents was evenly distributed throughout the country, with 12 percent coming from Metro Manila, 23 percent from Northern Luzon, 22 percent from Southern Luzon, 20 percent from Visayas, and 23 percent from Mindanao.