COA: PAGASA should speed up ‘crucial’ Doppler radar repairs

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Audit (COA) recommended that the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) opt for direct contracting to speed up repair and maintenance works on its Doppler radar systems.

Meteorologists rely on Doppler radar data to detect and track storms. This data is important to warn the public and bring people to safety.

“The Doppler radar facilities of PAGASA play a crucial role in monitoring and forecasting weather in the Philippines as it provides real-time, high-resolution data on precipitation (rain), wind speeds, and storm structure, thus resulting in localized weather monitoring,” the audit team said.

The 2024 audit of the weather bureau revealed that only 10 out of 19 radars are listed as operational. One has been decommissioned for being unsafe, another has been down for repairs since 2022, and two more conked out in 2024.

Expensive costs of custom spare parts for the Doppler radars prevent PAGASA from pre-ordering and keeping them on inventory. Delivery of these parts require at least eight months of lead time. The weather bureau, meanwhile, has resorted to reusing parts from defunct radars for operational ones.

Procurement of repair parts usually undergo public bidding, a lengthy process that makes sure government agencies get the most affordable items.

“We recommended and the management agreed that the chairperson of the BAC (Bids and Awards Committee) consider direct contracting as an alternative mode of procurement for the repair and maintenance of existing Doppler radar systems to hasten the procurement process,” the auditors said

PAGASA did not receive funding for Doppler works in 2022. In 2023, the agency got P22.45 million, covering the repair costs of radar stations in Benguet, Daet, Baler, and Zamboanga. The weather bureau received P84.47 million in 2024, which covered maintenance fund for seven Doppler radars. – Rappler.com