WE DID IT AGAIN! There was another error in the headline of the Feb. 12, 2025 issue of the Tribune on the Catanduanes police’s accomplishments in 2024. Instead of “Improved technical and tactical proficiency” in the very first line, what appeared were the erroneous “Improved technical and technical proficiency.” Our apologies to the readers and the Catanduanes police for the mistake, which we should have caught before the issue was printed.
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Occasional Tribune columnist Dr. Ramonfelipe Sarmiento’s suggestions on the suspension of classes and/or work due to heavy rains deserve to be taken into consideration by concerned authorities in the light of the useless class suspension last Feb. 11, 2025.
Existing DepEd guidelines on the cancellation or suspension of classes and work in schools in the event of natural disasters, power outages and other calamities (Department Order No. 037, series of 2022) state that in-person, online classes and work from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and Alternative Learning System (ALS) are automatically cancelled in schools in LGUs issued with Orange and Red Rainfall Warning by PAGASA.
On the other hand, the same guidelines provide that if the LGU is issued a Yellow Rainfall Warning, local chief executives shall decide on the cancellation or suspension of classes.
Looking back, PAGASA Southern Luzon issued Yellow Heavy Rainfall warnings from 4 AM of Feb. 10, with the rest released on its social media page at 5 AM, 8 AM, 11 AM and 2 PM.
Acting on the successive Yellow warnings in the early morning an hour apart, municipal mayors made the right decision to suspend classes for the day, which turned out to be really rainy.
PAGASA issued an Orange warning at 2 AM the next day then a Yellow warning at 5 AM, prompting the chief executives to suspend classes again, only for the weather agency to terminate the heavy rainfall warning three hours later.
The weather had cleared by 6 AM and the sun was out shining, with many people ruing the loss of yet another day for pupils and students to recover lost learning due to past class suspensions.
As Prof. Sarmiento observes, weather forecasts are not accurate despite advances in climate prediction science and technology.
One can add that local weather forecasts would be better if only our sitting congressman allocated the needed P150 million funding for the rehabilitation of the Doppler radar station in his very own town, instead of poorly constructed river control projects that are easily washed away by flash floods.
To avoid unnecessary class suspensions and its considerable social and economic costs, PAGASA should endeavor to extend the validity of their rainfall forecasts from the existing three hours to at least 12 hours.
The agency’s meteorologists could be aided further by the rehab of the Buenavista radar, especially if a new congressman is elected this May.
Our local PAGASA personnel are expert enough to provide local forecasts.
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GOOD FOR EIGHT POUNDS. A couple had their first baby. After a week or so the mother thought she could use a break and went shopping leaving the little baby with the proud father.
It was only a short while before the baby started to cry. The perplexed father tried all of the tricks that he remembered his wife doing but to no avail.
Finally, after a half hour in desperation, he went to the doctor. After checking all of the regular things, the doctor discovered it was just a dirty diaper.
“I don’t understand,“ the perplexed father said. “I knew it was dirty, but the diaper package said specifically that it was good up to 8 pounds!”