Official Weather Forecasting Guidebook Launched

Government unveiled Monday (June 13) in Metro Manila the official guidebook containing weather forecasting terms’ translation into Filipino and other Philippine languages.

The unveiling of “Patnubay sa Weder Forkasting” was amongactivities for this year’s observance of Typhoon and Flood Awareness Week (TFAW).

“Such guidebook’s publication is part of efforts to understand the changing climate,” said Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) Director-General Dr. Roberto Anonuevo at the event.

He sees need for Department of Education to adapt the guidebook for use in primary and secondary schools nationwide.

Doing so will help build up communities’ knowlege of, preparation for and resilience to weather events, he noted.

KWF is the agency that translated the guidebook’s weather forecasting terms which Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) uses.

During the unveiling, KWF officials turned over copies of the guidebook to PAGASA experts for their reference.

Soft-bound ‘Patnubay sa Weder Forkasting’ follows the format of an encyclopedia because aside from translations, it contains illustrations as well to better explain what the terms mean.

Among terms with the corresponding translation and illustration is ‘eye of the storm’ which weathermen use as reference point for locating tropical cyclones.

Such presentation style ” aims helping people better understand information we disseminate,” said PAGASA Administrator Dr. Vicente Malano at the unveiling.

He thanked KWF for partnering with PAGASA on the undertaking.

PAGASA plans conducting this year, for its weather forecasters, a workshop orienting them on translations inthe guidebook so they can use these when reporting on expected weather.

“Perhaps what we can do is to avoid rushing and to instead use a translation until people become familiar with it then introduce another one to help build up public awareness and knowlege about local equivalents of technical terms we use,” noted PAGASA Weather Division chief Dr. Esperanza Cayanan.

She said using such terms’ local equivalents is in line with PAGASA’s bid to promote patriotism among this agency’s personnel.

KWF and PAGASA worked on the guidebook for over a year.

“We coordinated with PAGASA regarding what those terms mean, enabling us to translate these accordingly,” said KWF language researcher Rene Roy Cagalingan.

He, however, noted the guidebook’s unveiling won’t mean the end of KWF’s translation work for PAGASA.

“We’ll still translate as the need arises,” he said.

He said KWF is open to such possibility as PAGASA may want other technical terms added to the guidebook’s future editions.

Aside from promoting better understanding of weather forecasting terms, the guidebook’s production is part of KWF’s efforts to mainstream Filipino in meteorology and other disciplines.

Earlier, KWF reported also translating information materials of other agencies.

Among such agencies are Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Climate Change Commission, National Council for Disability Affairs and Philippine National Police, KWF added. (PNA) LGI/CJT/SSC