PILI, CAMARINES SUR – MAKATI City Mayor and senatorial candidate Abby Binay has proposed increasing funds for DOST-PAGASA to further improve climate forecasting.

Binay said this would greatly help farmers and the agriculture sector which has been severely affected by extreme weather conditions.

“Climate change is already here. We’ve been talking about rising temperatures for years, but funding for important programs like Project NOAH has been cut, leaving us unprepared when disasters strike,” she said.

Binay pointed out the importance of accurate and timely forecasting, saying, “More funding for climate forecasting could help us give early warnings to farmers and communities about extreme weather, so they can take necessary precautions.”

Binay said tackling climate change requires resilience, which is built on data and forecasting. “Without proper data, we’re flying blind,” she said.

She said increased funding to support DOST-PAGASA’s climate data collection and forecasting services would be beneficial in the long term.

“Let’s invest in data, forecasting, and resilience to protect our future,” Binay said.

According to the Department of Agriculture, 98% of agricultural production losses from 2013 to 2022 are due to climate-related hazards. Total agricultural production loss due to climate-related events has been pegged at P229,848,889,131.

The DA also said rice is the most climate-damaged crop with an accounted loss of 36% or some P108 billion.

Typhoons are also responsible for 88% of total damages and are regarded as the most destructive climate-related hazard to agriculture, the department said.

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco