MANILA — In 1963, state weather bureau PAGASA — at the time called the Philippine Weather Bureau — started assigning local names to tropical cyclones entering or forming inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the hopes of warning the public more effectively.

To date, this practice remains unique to the Philippines. Moreover, while international names are assigned to tropical storm or higher categories, PAGASA assigns names even to tropical depressions.

Before 2024 ends and for the first time in more than 60 years, the weather bureau has named a tropical cyclone that may not enter the PAR.

A tropical depression formed over the southern West Philippine Sea outside the PAR on Saturday afternoon.

By Sunday morning, PAGASA assigned it the local name Romina as Wind Signal No. 1 was raised over the Kalayaan Islands of Palawan.

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'ROMINA' BRINGS RAINS

At 1 p.m. Sunday, it was located 285 km south of Kalayaan, Palawan outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

The tropical depression packs winds of 55 kph and gusts up to 70 kph. It is moving northward at 35 kph.

Wind Signal No. 1 is raised over Kalayaan Islands.

Romina has slim chance of entering the PAR but is moving close to its southwestern border.

It is bringing intense to torrential rains over Kalayaan while its trough or extension will bring scattered rains over the rest of Palawan.

Romina may intensify into a tropical storm briefly, which may warrant the raising of Signal No. 2 in Kalayaan.

Meanwhile, rains from the Shear Line drench Bicol Region and parts of CALABARZON, northern MIMAROPA, and Visayas.

It may persist until Christmas Day.

Flooding and landslides are expected. Residents of the aforementioned areas are advised to take all necessary measures to protect life and property.

THE PHILIPPINE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Kalayaan Islands and southern towns of Tawi-Tawi are outside the PAR. Ironically, parts of Taiwan, Japan, Palau, and Malaysia fall within it.

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In the 1960s, member nations of the World Meteorological Organization were assigned their respective areas of monitoring for severe weather for shipping — an important mode of transportation, livelihood, and business.

For the Philippines, the PAR's present boundaries are documented in the final report of the Fourth Session of the WMO Regional Association V held in February 1966 in Wellington, New Zealand.