The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) inaugurated a state-of-the-art radar facility in Laoang, Northern Samar on Wednesday, April 19.

It is a C-Band Dual Polarization Solid State Weather Radar with a 480-kilometer radial range, which is similar to the radar installed in Cataingan, Masbate that was inaugurated and operationalized in August 2022, PAGASA explained.

The Laoang Radar installed in Barangay Binaticlan is the 19th PAGASA-operated Doppler radar in the country.

Laoang Doppler Radar in Northern Samar (DOST-PAGASA Photo)

The project has a budget of about P150 million, of which the bulk of the fund was used for the purchase and installation of radar equipment, while the rest was for the construction of the radar building, provision of access road, and other civil works.

PAGASA said the establishment of the facility is part of a growing network of operational weather observation facilities to strengthen the agency’s capacities in improving the accuracy of its forecasts and warnings for extreme weather events.

The Laoang Doppler Radar is expected to improve PAGASA’s capability to monitor the development and tracking of weather systems that cause heavy rains, such as thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, and other extreme events.

PAGASA said the facility will ultimately help save lives, livelihood, and properties for maximum economic and social benefits for the people. 

It pointed out that additional radars are essential, as they provide greater accuracy and redundancy in detecting and tracking severe weather systems.