Filmmaker Jason Paul Laxamana stirred a debate on social media after posting a controversial opinion on Facebook, arguing that typhoons merely entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) should not be treated as headline news.
Laxamana believes such announcements cause unnecessary confusion and anxiety among the public, leading to misunderstandings about the storm’s potential impact.
“Hot take: a typhoon entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility shouldn’t be announced as news, kasi it causes confusion/panic to regular people who assume that PAR = landfall. Pang-meteorologist lang dapat ang info na iyon,” the director wrote.
Laxamana’s statement came in the wake of Typhoon Kristine, which impacted several regions in the Philippines.
While some agreed with his perspective, many others voiced strong criticisms and opposition. Despite the backlash, Laxamana responded to comments, defending his position.
“I stand by it,” Jason Paul wrote in a separate post. “Weather news that is relevant to the common person is landfall, typhoon strength, rains, and floods.
He continued, “It entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility — an imaginary zone covered by PH meteorologists doesn’t mean anything yet. It only means binabantayan na ng weathermen. ‘Di porke binabantayan ay may epektong direkta sa Pilipinas.”
“Ngayon, kung mas gusto nyong nati-tense sa balita kahit na wala pang direktang epekto sa atin, aba e God bless sa inyo. Mag-sad react lang kayo nang mag-sad react everytime may balita na “nakapasok na ng PAR,” he remarked at the end of his post.
In the comments section of his new take, one netizen countered, “Sir. I respect you a lot but I think you should re-evaluate your stand here. To be honest your statement below doesn’t hold true.
“While the storm itself has not entered PAR, let’s not [forget] these weather systems pull wind and rain towards them so yes, people deserve to know. People deserve to understand the importance and meaning of proper words and terminologies. Just because something is jargon doesn’t mean others don’t have right to access their meaning,” the user argued.
In response, Laxamana asserted that his stance was about simplifying technical jargons for the general public.
“My stand is for media to digest technical info into info that is easily comprehensible to the least common denominator. What is there to change in my stand?”, ” he questioned.
Another user, who claimed that he was a former weather news producer, took the opportunity to air his opinion about the issue.
“A few years ago, I was in Visayas, in a coastal area, and overheard locals talking about an ‘LPA approaching PAR’. I was amazed that they used these terms in their daily conversations,” he shared.
“These terms may not mean much to people in landlocked areas, but for those whose lives and survival depend on preparing for these weather disturbances, it makes a real difference,” the commenter pointed out.
Others agreed on the need for accessible language while others emphasized the importance of informing the public about all aspects of storm monitoring to ensure preparedness.
“Flawed logic. [Typhoon] Carina did not even touch the PH lands but was destructive dahil sa habagat. Ano yun? Saka lang magbabalita kapag andiyan na talaga bagyo?,” a netizen reacted.
Another user added, “Just my unbiased opinion – I think the benefits from knowing that a typhoon is coming ahead of time outweighs the stress it could cause in general. 🙂”
Laxamana reiterated his point in a follow-up post, suggesting news providers to use “non-technical terms” for such issues to be easier understood by the public.
“POINT: Gumamit ng non-technical terms kapag binabalita ang bagyo/panahon para mas maintindihan ng lahat,” he emphasized.
Commenting on the misinterpretations of his statement, he remarked, “Kung paano naging “wag tayong maging handa sa bagyo” ang pagkakaintindi ng iba ay ewan ko na lang 🙄.”
Jason Paul is known for his notable works including the Metro Manila Film Festival 2023 entry Penduko, and the 2017 romance film, 100 Tula Para Kay Stella.
Recently, it was announced that its stars, Bella Padilla and JC Santos, will reunite for the film’s sequel, “100 Awit Para Kay Stella”, with Laxamana returning as director.
