‘Safer Philippines’ road show kicks off in Pampanga

CLARK FREEPORT—Natural disasters, like devastating typhoons and storm surges, cannot be stopped but potential risks can be mitigated through the help of science, Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo said here recently.

In his speech during the kick off here of the Department of Science and Technology’s 13-week program, “Iba na ang Panahon! Science for Safer Communities,” Montejo said studies on climate change show that severe weather events, from heavy rainfall to periods of drought, throughout the country would be more frequent in the future.

The DOST is implementing the program in cooperation with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

Montejo said mitigating disaster risks by applying scientific data would result in minimum loss of lives and properties and speedy recovery.

He told officials in Central Luzon, who attended the program’s workshop, that more preparations are needed because the safety of their communities lie in their hands.

Vicious cycle

“We are one with President Aquino in saying we don’t want to be trapped in this vicious cycle of destruction and reconstruction, disaster after disaster. The Philippines faces an average of 20 typhoons per year, along with associated floods and storm surges as well as earthquakes,” he said.

Montejo said science and technology could be used to better understand and improve disaster preparedness in communities.

He said through scenario-based strategy, information on a specific event could be forecast.

“Eventually we will not be forecasting only the weather. We will be forecasting scenarios—flood scenarios, storm surge scenarios. And based on these scenarios, we can prepare the contingency plans,” he said.

He cited as example the need to open the Angat Dam in Bulacan province during a typhoon or when heavy rainfall occurs. He said the impact of such situation, like what would happen to downstream localities like Pulilan town or Malolos City and how many residents or property would be affected, should be anticipated.

Project Noah, Dream

The program aims to help local governments prepare and cope with calamities through science and technology and related data and information, including those coming from the DOST’s Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (Project Noah) and its component, Disaster Risk Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (Dream).

Montejo said through hazard maps and information gathered by Project Noah and Dream, storm surges would be forecast two days in advance.

Local governments, he said, would be armed with information to deal with disasters by making prompt action, predicting damage, and identifying safe areas for evacuation.

The DOST program will run until May 23. A seminar-workshop was set for Calabarzon region officials on March 6 to 7 in Batangas province. Jun Malig, Inquirer Central Luzon