Philippines: W. Visayas disaster preparedness efforts get a boost

Iloilo City - The disaster preparedness efforts in Western Visayas got a further boost with the upgrading of the weather forecasting facilities of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 6.

DOST 6 Information Officer Sol Aplaon Salazar said there are now a total of three Automatic Weather Stations and five Automatic Rain Gauges that have been installed in the different areas of the region as part of the initial phase of their facility upgrading project in the region.

The equipment will give localized weather data for Western Visayas which will be used to generate weather forecast by the DOST-PAGASA central forecasting section.

The AWS are installed at the Jovito Sayson National High School, Handumanan Extension Campus in Barangay Felisa, Bacolod City, Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center meteorological garden at Barangay Buntatala, Jaro, Iloilo City and at the Capitol Site in Kalibo, Aklan.

On the other hand, the five Automatic Rain Gauges were installed at the Barangay Halls of Barangay Alangilan and Barangay Estefania in Bacolod City; at the premises of Villa Esperanza Elementary School in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City; Plaza Area, Madalag, Aklan; and CapSU-Vet Med, in Dumarao, Capiz.

Salazar said that more AWS and ARGs will be installed in other provinces soon under the project which is along the department’s mandate to protect lives and properties from natural hazards using scientific knowledge and information

The DOST also serves as the Vice-Chairperson of the Prevention and Mitigation of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council under Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 . ((JCM/LAF/PIA-Iloilo)