PAGASA equips Sarangani on weather forecasting

By BEVERLY PAOYON ALABEL, Sarangani (June 27, 2012) – The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA), in line with its Advanced Science and Technology Institute project, conducted a seminar-workshop on Tuesday (June 26) on the use of the Automated Weather Station (AWS) installed in Sarangani last December. The one-day seminar, attended by representatives from various government and non-government organizations, was facilitated by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in support of its disaster preparedness program. The AWS installed at the Capitol compound is among those 152 networks deployed across the Philippines to monitor real time weather changes taking place in specific localities. The AWS is a monitoring systems equipped with different sensors capable of monitoring wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity and pressure wherein the data observed is transmitted to the central server through a cellular network. These will complement PAGASA’s weather forecasting facilities. With the recent flash floods in the municipality of Glan, Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon said PAGASA’s intervention in making some line agencies in Sarangani equipped with the basic knowledge in monitoring its weather conditions is necessary. “We are becoming conscious of the possible disasters that can occur na ‘yun ang pinaka-importante to protect ourselves,” he said. With the AWS, he said, “we can alert the communities when possible rain is about to come and the possible causes of damages, so we can react.” Solon, however, stressed that the “simplest we (the people) can do” is to protect and preserve the environment. “Kailangan talaga alagaan natin ang environment natin kasi bahagi ito ng buhay natin. Kung na-destroy na ang environment, tayo ang apektado - ang komunidad,” he said. (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)