Senator Imee Marcos criticized PAGASA on Sunday for what she described as insufficient warnings regarding Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which resulted in at least 146 fatalities, 91 injuries, and 19 missing individuals. Marcos suggested that earlier and more specific advisories from the state weather bureau could have prompted local governments to evacuate residents sooner, potentially saving lives.
She questioned why storm warnings remain inconsistent despite sufficient government funding and even with PAGASA’s budget increase for 2025. Marcos expressed hope that such a situation would not be repeated.
PAGASA had initially forecasted the development of a low-pressure area (LPA) into a tropical depression on October 20, warning of heavy rainfall over parts of Luzon. The agency later upgraded the system to a tropical depression, naming it Kristine as it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at midnight on October 21. At its strongest, Kristine carried winds of up to 95 kilometers per hour and placed 16 areas under Storm Signal No. 3.
In the aftermath, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that the storm, combined with Super Typhoon Leon, affected over 2.179 million families across the country. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared November 4, 2024, as a Day of National Mourning to honor the lives lost to the storm.
