A displeased President Noynoy Aquino on Wednesday arrived unexpectedly at Camp Aguinaldo and presided a meeting of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) where he admonished officials of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) for its inaccurate weather forecasts.
 
On Tuesday night, the NDCC advised reporters that a briefing will be held by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday but the schedule was later moved to 10:00 on the same day.
 
The president, however, arrived at the Armed Forces headquarters unexpectedly and presided over the NDCC meeting which started ahead of scheduled.
 
During the meeting, the president reprimanded officials of the weather bureau, as he said: "That information is sorely lacking and we have had this problem for quite a long time."
 
“You do what you are supposed to do. This is unacceptable. I hope this is the last time that we are all brought to an area different from what we are seeing.”
 
Aquino said he wants more precise weather forecasts noting that delays in Pagasa advisories in effect result to a delay in government response.
 
“Changes should be known to the public at the earliest possible time," he added.
 
Pagasa has failed to advise that the typhoon would also hit Metro Manila, which experienced massive power outages.
 
In reaction to what transpired in the meeting, Pagasa director Prisco Nilo told reporters that the president actually was not angry but merely reminded all concerned to improve government’s disaster preparedness, response, and mitigation.
 
Nilo said the president asked them what they need, at the same time said that one of the first things they have to improve is Pagasa’s telecommunications system.