Aquino wants simplified weather advisories, in Filipino

MANILA, Philippines – How do you translate “southwest monsoon enhanced by a tropical storm” to Filipino?

Government officials should learn how to, after President Benigno Aquino III again reminded them on Thursday, August 22, to use Filipino in issuing weather & disaster advisories.

Spokespersons were again noted for using technical and English terms when giving updates about weather, floods, and other disasters.

Aquino, while visiting evacuees at the Tinabuhan Elementary School in Imus, Cavite, on Thursday said government spokesperson should be able to simplify advisories and updates so the public can understand them immediately.

“Sige, ipaalala natin sa kanila iyan… our official language is Filipino and English,” Aquino said.

The President noted that this is important, especially now that the government has expanded from giving only wind-based storm signals.

He cited the new rainfall warning system as an example: “We ordered that if the issue was about rainfall, how would the people understand what it meant? So the problem is when we think about millimeter, it seems too little.”

Indeed, despite promises as early as 2011 to use simpler terms in its weather updates – what it called “laymanized” advisories – the bureau, as well as other government offices, are still using technical terms in their advisories.

Aquino had been advocating for government officials, particularly the state weather bureau PAGASA, to use Filipino in giving public advisories.

Here is Rappler’s Filipino version of the rainfall amount advisory guide, based on an infographic produced by Malacañang in October 2012:

– Rappler.com