The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has forecast warmer and humid days before March is over.
News reports said the weather agency believes the northeast monsoon is nearly over, although the upper half of the country is still affected by the amihan season and its attendant rains and gale-force winds.
According to its latest climate outlook covering the period March to August 2023, the La Niña continues to weaken and will transition to a neutral state within the next two months.
On the other hand, the northeast monsoon is now in transition to the southwest monsoon (habagat season), PAGASA said.
As for Catanduanes, the island will have above-normal rainfall in the next six months, but more than half of each month in the period will be dry days with less than 1mm of rainfall: March (16 dry days), April (17), May (19), June (18), July (15) and August (20).
It will also have near average daily temperature, the weather agency forecasts.
On the occurrence of tropical cyclones, PAGASA predicted that between 6 to 9 weather disturbances will enter or develop within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), with the storm formations more likely by May (1 or 2 TCs), June (1 or 2), July (2 or 3) and August (2 or 3).
The onset of summer is expected to bring much relief to the island’s citizens, especially marginal fishermen who depend on fair weather to bring in a good catch.
Records show that Catanduanes had been under gale warnings for 47 days in the past three months.
There were 20 days with gale-force winds in December 2022, including the period from the 17th to the 31st during which six fishermen from Virac and four from Viga were lost at sea, with only one coming back alive.
Wind gusts as high as 71 kph were also forecast during the gale warnings issued for the island on January 1-14 and 17-31. It was in the last week of the month that brothers Alfredo and Noli Alnaiz sailed despite the warnings and then failed to return, with their waterlogged banca found off Caramoan.
Last month, PAGASA issued the same warnings on Feb. 2, 15-22 and 25-28, with two fishermen lost and then rescued at sea after two days clinging to the wreckage of their banca’s outrigger. One of them died from excessive sea water ingestion.
The amihan season from December 2022 to February 2023 exacted a heavy toll on local fishermen with eight still missing and presumed dead, three found dead in water far from the island, and one rescued at sea only to die in the hospital. Only two survived out of the 14 who defied the PAGASA warning for small boats not to venture out to sea.
*****
The Virac Revenue District Office No. 69 formally kicked off its tax collection campaign last Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, with a motorcade around Virac población with the participation of businesses and other stakeholders.
Anchored on the theme “Tulong-tulong sa Pagbangon, Kapit Kamay sa Pag-Ahon, Buwis na Wasto, Alay sa Pilipino,” the campaign seeks to convince taxpayers to file their Annual Income Tax Returns (AITRs) on or before the April 17, 2023 deadline.
The Virac RDO, headed by OIC-Revenue District Officer Maria Cristina B. Yuson and Assistant RDO Modesto R. Avila Jr., was recently awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the BIR Revenue Region No. 10 for being the top collection performer in the Bicol region for 2022.
It surpassed its assigned goal of P637,541,000.00 by 18.76 percent of P119.5 million in what the regional office described as an exemplary performance in tax collection.
Congratulations to the revenue officials and staff of Virac RDO #69!
*****
IN THE SOVIET UNION. One day a Soviet Party member is walking through Red Square when he hears a man shout “down with the tyrant and his stupid mustache.”
Immediately the party member drags the man to Stalin and explains what he said. Stalin, furious asks: why did you say that?
The man replies he was talking about Hitler. Stalin listens and decides the man is telling the truth. He agrees with his sentiments and sends the man on his way.
The party member is about to go as well but is stopped by Stalin and asked: “Tell me, comrade, which tyrant with a stupid mustache were you thinking of when you dragged the man here?”