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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOST-Phivolcs has less than half of 'ideal minimum' number of seismic monitors

DOST-Phivolcs has less than half of 'ideal minimum' number of seismic monitors

Published Sep 6, 2023 05:47 am

At A Glance

  • The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has less than half of the "ideal minimum" number of seismic monitoring stations, which track earthquakes.

IMG_0617(1).JPGMayon Volcano (Ellson Quismorio/ File photo/ MANILA BULLETIN)

 

 

 

 

 

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has less than half of the "ideal minimum" number of seismic monitoring stations, which track earthquakes. 

This was learned during the DOST 2024 budget deliberation Tuesday night, Sept. 5 before the House Committee on Appropriations. 

"Ideally, our target is 300...kasi (because) this is the same number that other countries would have in terms of minimum number to really--not only to locate very small earthquake events--but in other countries, it's thousands," DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. told the panel. 

"So at least 300, the tsunami monitoring and even volcano monitoring. I totally agree that we need to really scale up the implementation or establishment of monitoring systems," Solidum said. 

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Teresito Bacolcol spoke more on this "capital gap", upon the query of committee Senior Vice Chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo. 

"Right now we have like123 seismic monitoring stations, the ideal as what Secretary Solidum said is 300, Bacolcol said. 

He said that Phivolcs--an agency under DOST--can only monitor 10 out of the 24 active volcanoes in the country. 

"And out of the 10 monitored by Phivolcs, we only two volcanoes with complete monitoring equipment, which is Mayon and Taal volcano," he said. 

Bacolcol said that DOST requested a budget of P982 million for the modernization of Phivolcs for 2024. However, the agency was only given P729 million for this purpose under the P5.768-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP). 

The NEP, which the appropriations panel has been scrutinizing for three weeks now, is the precursor to the national budget. 

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Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. Phivolcs
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