THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said early this week that the rainy season normally begins anytime between the middle of May and the middle of June. We are now in the middle of June and we are still waiting.
The water level in Angat Dam, principal source of Metro Manila’s water supply, was down to 164.48 meters last June 1, way below the high-water level of 210 meters. We hope the water supply situation will not reach the stage that it did in the East Zone of Metro Manila last March when long lines of plastic water containers formed at a few roadside outlets and a swimming pool had to be drained so the water could used for urgent household needs.
Most farmers, who have no access to irrigation, will not start planting until the rains fall. This dependence on rain is said to be one of the reasons Philippine agriculture has not made much progress, along with low level of mechanization and use of modern farm practices.
In some towns and cities, showers now come erratically in some afternoons but not in others. The people thus continue to endure the heat but keep praying for the rains that will bring the temperature down and, more important, assure there will be no need for water rationing.
PAGASA could only announce this week that the rainy season is almost here. It noted that moisture-laden winds from the southwest had begun to reach Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan. These are the islands of the country that are first reached by the southwest winds of “habagat.”
PAGASA said the rainy season will officially begin when it rains five days in a row, and the water level as measured in three of five strategic locations does not fall below one millimeter. The sporadic rainfall that we have had so far does not qualify as marking the start of the season.
PAGASA also announced that it does not see any approaching storms, which usually come from the center of the Pacific Ocean in the east. These are normally feared as they bring strong winds along with strong rains causing great destruction such as “Yoling” in 1970. But in the middle of today’s summer heat, many people would welcome any relief from the heat of our lingering summer season.
