Weather 101 for teachers

MOTHER Nature is a tempestuous, tumultuous woman and so disaster preparedness is the buzzword nowadays.

In a country visited by an average of 20 tropical cyclones every year, although only about 10 really affect us, awareness of weather conditions and its ramifications must be promoted.

True to its sustainability philosophy—“We can do well by doing good”—and as part of its corporate social responsibility program, City Savings, through Fatima M. Mateo, business head of City Savings Bank Robinsons Galleria branch, spearheaded the Weather 101 and Tropical Cyclone 101 seminar from Dec. 1 to 3 at the Department of Education (DepEd) in Makati City.

The goal was to create awareness of weather conditions and advocate disaster preparedness and how it could be cascaded to students.

The participants on the first day were principals and officers in charge of the division of Makati. School disaster risk reduction management coordinators from Makati attended on the second day, while DepEd Makati and San Juan divisions personnel participated on the third day.

The first seminar of this kind was held in the DepEd National Capital Region in August.

Dave Michael V. Valeriano, general manager of Weather Philippines Foundation Inc., reviewed the weather portal access, www.weather.com.ph. Weather conditions in any part of the country and approaching storms could be accessed through this portal.

The Weather Philippines mobile application gives accurate weather forecast from more than 750 automated weather stations in the Philippines that is available to anyone.

A detailed five-day weather forecast for each selection is available. Anyone may download it from Google Play Store or App Store. On the search bar, type in “WeatherPhilippines” and then click “install” and you are finally #weatherwise.

Neil John P. Ramal, junior meteorologist, talked about Weather 101: Basic Meteorology and Weather Processes. David Michael Padua, senior meteorologist of the same foundation, talked about Tropical Cyclone 101.

“Very timely and educational for lay people like us and, most importantly, we are made aware of how weather, climate directly affect us,” said Hernanda R. Santos, principal of San Juan Elementary School.

The seminar may be conducted in your locality. Send an e-mail request to Fatima M. Mateo at Fatima.mateo@citysavings.com.ph or through 0917-3082871 or 5849091.

The writer is learning resource management and development system supervisor at the DepEd division of Makati.