By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — In observance of the typhoon and flood awareness week (June 15-21), the DOST-Pagasa on Monday (June 16) launched the PANaHON 3D Web-Based Decision Support Information System.
In a press conference and soft launching, Dr. Nathaniel T. Servando, PAGASA Administrator, said that preparedness and hydro-meteorological hazards where Filipinos are aware of due to perennial flooding.With the theme: “Kahandaan sa Bagyo at Baha, Solusyon sa Ligtas na Bayan”, the Typhoon and Flood Awareness Week is observed every third week of June and was declared under Presidential Proclamation No. 1535, Series of 2008, to raise awareness and promotes proactive measures in addressing typhoon- and flood-related hazards.
Dr. Servando noted that last June 2, 2025, PAGASA has officially announced the start of the rainy season, with the short visit of Typhoon “Auring”.
“Color coding is one of the enhancements of the PANaHON Interactive Map. It is consolidated in one map where the whole country (Philippines) rainfall map can be seen,” Dr. Servando said.
“All the real time data from different PAGASA stations will be provided by the PANaHON Information System,” he added.
He stressed that in line with the observance of the Flood Awareness Week, activities were lined up such as the relaunching of Enhanced Panahon, an interactive platform, in Sorsogon City, there will be the MAAGAP Seminar and Consultative Meeting with Sorsogon Disaster Managers and Stakeholders and the Media Seminar-Workshop in PAGASA Central Office.
PAGASA launched again PANaHON (PAGASA National Hydro-Met Observing Network Interactive platform.
PANaHON: Interactive Weather Map with Gridded Forecast Data in the local level with Enhanced Forecast Accuracy and Accessibility.
All forecast data can be accessed with Improved User Interaction and it can provide a five-day forecast data.
Nationwide coverage of warnings with centralized alert system and with improved public awareness and preparedness just like a “one-stop shop” for flood control warning.
The platform can also generate an integrated active rainfall warnings in the next 3 hours. It can be accessed at www.panahon.gov.ph and the Panahon Interactive is ongoing development.
All information will come from the said site and there will be no fake news.
“It’s neutral this year. There’s no El Nino or La Nina this year. We expect that a weather disturbance may still come in this month,” Dr. Servando.
“The observance of Flood Awareness Week is very timely,” he added.
“We terminated the monitoring of heat index. Although we feel na ‘maalinsangan’ but not as high during the previous months,” Dr. Servando said.
Dr. Marcelino Q. Villafuerte II, Deputy Administrator for Research and Development, presented the Mindanao PRSD River Basins such as in Agus, Agusan, Buayan-Malungon, and Cagayan de Oro which consist the Mindanao Interface River Basin.
Dr. Villafuerte noted that Typhoon Kristine or “Tsami” affected several areas in the country, particularly the Bicol Region area.
During the height of typhoon Kristine, the rainfall that was observed in the Bicol Region, the impact of which is actually the widespread flooding.
There was an inundation or how much flooding was caused by Typhoon Kristine where there was the flood peak inundation (hourly) in the Bicol River Basin from 6p.m. of Oct. 21 onwards that can be utilized by the local government units (LGUs).
The colleagues in the Bicol River Basin tried to interview some of those affected by the massive flooding. ###
