Establishment of PAG-ASA and its functions

Policy and State objectives

The State policy is to provide protection against natural calamities and to use scientific knowledge to ensure the safety, well-being, and economic security of all people and to promote national progress.
Government implementation includes intensifying research in atmospheric, geophysical and astronomical sciences and providing incentives for research.
Government implementation requires measures to minimize adverse effects of natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis (seismic sea wave).
Government implementation requires recommending progressive innovations in the educational system to build awareness and supply competent scientific personnel and technological manpower.
Government implementation requires facilitating the acquisition, collection, archiving, and processing of atmospheric, geophysical, and astronomical data and making the data available in usable form for agriculture, commerce and industry, and the general public.
Government implementation requires promoting coordination and cooperation in research to minimize duplication and optimize results.
Government implementation requires establishing weather stations in strategic places throughout the country, including Batanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Samar, and Romblon.

Creation and placement of PAG-ASA

Section 3 creates the PAG-ASA to carry out the policy directives under Section 2.
PAG-ASA is placed under the Department of National Defense.
PAG-ASA must observe and report the weather of the Philippines and specified adjacent areas and must issue forecasts and warnings of weather and flood conditions affecting national safety, welfare, and economy.
PAG-ASA must undertake, in coordination with other agencies, activities to moderate typhoons using modern scientific and technological advances to reduce destructive potentials while retaining beneficial effects, and must undertake other weather modification projects.
PAG-ASA must conduct continuous earthquake recording and observation through an adequate seismological network nationwide for safety-factor determination in building design and to support research leading to earthquake prediction.
PAG-ASA must issue advisories and precautionary measures to areas affected by strong earthquakes for the welfare of people thereat.
PAG-ASA must coordinate with international organizations for tsunami and typhoon warning dissemination, particularly for Philippine coastal regions likely to be affected.
PAG-ASA must provide and disseminate the precise standard time of the Philippines and maintain and operate an adequate satellite tracking and monitoring system for weather surveillance and other astronomical information, and must observe, analyze, interpret astronomical phenomena, and collate observational data for publication and exchange with foreign observatories.
PAG-ASA must provide an adequate communications system for efficient reception and transmission of meteorological, seismic, and astronomical reports or information from field stations nationwide and for international weather communications exchange.
PAG-ASA must coordinate with national agencies in pre-disaster and community preparedness planning to minimize losses of lives and property due to typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
PAG-ASA must collect, process, archive, publish, and disseminate atmospheric, geophysical, and astronomical data for use by agriculture, commerce, industry, the scientific and engineering community, and the general public, and must coordinate national activities on data problems with world scientific organizations.
PAG-ASA must conduct fundamental and applied research and investigations and experiments to advance applied meteorology, geophysics, and astronomy in cooperation with the University of the Philippines and other science agencies, and must provide training facilities for the country’s meteorological, geophysical, and astronomical personnel needs.
PAG-ASA must accept donations in the form of equipment, scholarship awards, sites for stations, buildings, and similar support from local and/or foreign sources to promote PAG-ASA objectives.

Organizational units and operational functions

Section 4 provides that PAG-ASA is composed of: (1) National Weather Service, (2) National Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Information Service, and (3) National Institute of Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Sciences.
The National Weather Service must conduct operational activities on observation, moderation, modification, and reporting of weather within the Philippine area of responsibility, and must issue forecasts and warnings of weather and flood conditions affecting national safety, welfare, and economy.
The National Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Data Service (as named in Section 4) must acquire, collect, conduct quality control of, process, and archive atmospheric and allied data, including meteorological, seismic, oceanographic, and astronomical data and observations, and must make the data available in usable form for agriculture, commerce, and industry.
The Data Service must conduct continuing studies of Philippine Climatology, Agrometeorology, Solar Radiation, Wind Effects, or Gustiness, and other technological studies vital to national progress.
The National Geophysical and Astronomical Service must conduct observations and studies of geophysical and astronomical phenomena essential for the safety and welfare of people and for the national economy.
The Geophysical and Astronomical Service must issue bulletins and/or technical advice to the public in cases of significant geophysical events like severe earthquakes and tsunamis, and must serve as the official time service agency of the Philippines.
The National Institute of Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Sciences must develop high-level knowledge in the atmospheric, geophysical, and astronomical sciences to supply well-trained scientists and technological personnel, and must conduct research in Atmospheric Science (including weather modification), Geophysics, and Astronomy.

Administrator and personnel appointments

Section 5 states that PAG-ASA is headed by an Administrator with compensation equivalent to that of a Class-A Bureau.
The Administrator is appointed by the President of the Philippines, subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.
The Administrator holds office during good behavior and may not be removed except for cause.
The Administrator must be a citizen of the Philippines with proven executive ability and distinguished achievements in science and technology.
No one may be appointed Administrator if already holding an appointive or elective position in a concurrent capacity in the Government.
Heads of major organizational units must be citizens of the Philippines with proven executive ability who achieved distinction in the particular field of national service.
Subordinate personnel below the rank of head of service or institute must be appointed by the Administrator upon recommendation of the respective head of service or institute, consistent with applicable Civil Service Laws and Rules.

Powers, rules, compensation, and reporting

Section 6 authorizes the Administrator to implement PAG-ASA policies and objectives.
The Administrator must promulgate rules and regulations necessary for conducting and exercising PAG-ASA functions.
The Administrator must supervise and control all units under PAG-ASA.
The Administrator may delegate authority for performance of any function to officers and employees under the Administrator’s direction.
The Administrator must prescribe office hours for employees engaged in meteorological, geophysical, astronomical, and other technical work to maintain necessary continuous 24 hours watch.
The Administrator may require duty beyond prescribed hours for employees, especially during very inclement weather, tropical cyclones, earthquakes, and tsunamis, as directed by the Administrator.
The Administrator may authorize corresponding overtime pay for services in excess of 40 hours a week on the regular rate plus at least twenty-five per centum additional.
Overtime pay must be charged against the appropriation for the purpose or from salary savings of the agency.
The Administrator may authorize a research incentive pay equal to a fixed increment of fifteen per cent of the researcher’s monthly salary for each month for one year following completion and publication of the research work.
The research incentive award must be made only after the technical paper is duly presented and defended in a scientific seminar prescribed by the Administrator.
The Administrator must provide, at government expense compatible with available resources, living quarters for personnel who must be on call 24 hours a day due to the nature of their duties.
The Administrator must submit an annual report to the Secretary of National Defense within sixty days after the close of each fiscal year.

Procurement and emergency disbursement authority

Section 7 authorizes the Administrator, with the approval of the Secretary of National Defense, to conduct sealed bids and/or canvass of foreign and/or local markets for procurement of technical and scientific instruments, materials, equipment, and supplies from local or foreign manufacturers.
Section 7 overrides any provision of law and regulation to the contrary by allowing procurement without the intervention of the Bureau of Supply Coordination.
Section 8 authorizes the Administrator, in cases of natural calamities related to PAG-ASA functions, to disburse an amount not exceeding fifty thousand pesos a month from PAG-ASA appropriated funds for specified purposes or from savings.
Section 8 authorizes disbursement without seeking prior authority or approval from any other office.
The Administrator is answerable only to the Secretary of National Defense and the President of the Philippines for these disbursements.
Disbursements must be made only during an actual real emergency and only for strictly official PAG-ASA expenditures.

Hazardous duty pay limits

Section 9 entitles any PAG-ASA officer or employee, during the time performing official duties involving exposure to personal danger in natural calamities, to additional compensation.
The additional compensation is determined by the Administrator and approved by the Secretary of National Defense, exclusive of the usual per diems and other allowances.
The total additional compensation must not exceed twenty-five per cent of his annual salary for a period of one year.

Appropriations and funding allocations

Section 10 authorizes appropriation of fourteen million pesos from National Treasury funds not otherwise appropriated, in addition to the current budget of the Weather Bureau, to carry into effect the decree’s provisions.
Section 10 directs ten million pesos exclusively for purchase of modern weather equipment to rehabilitate, update, upgrade, and replenish worn out, defective, old, and burned facilities.
Section 10 directs four million pesos for capital outlay, personnel, and other operating expenses of PAG-ASA.

Transfer of Weather Bureau and reorganization

Section 11 abolishes the Weather Bureau.
The present personnel, records, assets, liabilities, funds, and unexpended balance of the Weather Bureau appropriation must be transferred to PAG-ASA.
The incumbent Director of the Weather Bureau continues as the Administrator of PAG-ASA.
The incumbent Administrator, in the capacity as Administrator, may reorganize PAG-ASA’s internal organization subject to limitations in the decree whenever advisable for efficiency and economy.
Any major reorganization must receive approval of the Secretary of National Defense.

Repeal and inconsistency rule

Section 12 repeals or modifies all laws, orders, proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with any provision of the decree.
The implementation of the “Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Science Act of 1972” adopted in this decree must be carried out effective from the decree’s date as a modification of the Integrated Reorganization Plan under Presidential Decree No. 1.