Ted Failon.
ABS-CBN broadcaster Ted Failon apologized on Wednesday to a group of local weather forecasters for citing the death of a weather observer in Tacloban as proof that most weather bureau personnel did not know what a storm surge is.
The Philippine Weathermen Employees Association had taken offense with Failon’s comment on behalf of Salvacion Avestruz, who is presumed dead after she was swept away when supertyphoon Yolanda struck the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) station in Tacloban on November 8.
“The PWEA honestly respects the opinion of Mr. Ted Failon aired early this morning that most PAGASA people are not aware of what a storm surge is. According to Mr. Failon, this is because one PAGASA personnel died as a victim of a storm surge herself,” the PWEA said in a brief press statement on Tuesday.
“However, we are deeply saddened by this comment. Please allow us to inform our kababayans that our colleague suffered the onslaught of Yolanda because she was on duty at the weather station. It is the general rule in PAGASA that personnel on duty should not leave or abandon their posts at all cost if a locality is under threat from a tropical cyclone. Our lady colleague died not in the comfort of her own home but rather died while in the service of our country,” the PWEA concluded.
In the comment thread of the DZRH website where the statement first appeared, former PAGASA chief Amado Pineda called Failon’s remark “insensitive” and demanded an apology.
Failon apologized to PWEA president Ramon Agustin on Wednesday morning on his radio program on DZMM. He clarified that he was only making a point about the lack of public awareness about the danger posed by storm surges.
“Ang aking sinabi, ultimo taga-PAGASA ay nabiktima ng storm surge sa kasagsagan ng Yolanda,” he said.
“Kung saka-sakali po na hindi ho sa tamang konteksto ang pagtanggap ng iba sa mga miyembro niyo o ibang kababayan natin sa aking naging pahayag, ako ay humihingi ng paumanhin,” Failon added.
Failon, a one-time Leyte congressman, was in Tacloban when Yolanda struck.
Ted Failon apologizes for ‘insensitive’ comment about PAGASA employee who died in Tacloban
Source: InterAksyon.com (November 20, 2013 at 04:51PM)
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