5 SUBURBIA
EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2014
Flood forecasting center to rise in DavNor
D
AVAo del Norte is boosting its disaster preparedness and response program with the establishment of the P20-million Tagum-Libuganon river Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (TLrBFFWC) at the Provincial Government Center, Mankilam, Tagum City. Governor rodolfo del rosario and Dr. Vicente B. Malano, Acting Administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) led the groundbreaking ceremony of the project. Malano said the facility, which he revealed is the first in the whole Mindanao region, will give timely and accurate prediction of both flood crests and duration to save countless of lives and millions of pesos worth of crops and properties. He said periodic information from the center regarding water level in the river basin will enable the local government units to issue educated warning to residents of possible flooding. “Sana nga magkaroon ng change sa preparedness ng tao. Ito ay para
sa kanila, hindi sa kung sino man. Para talaga ito sa mga affected areas, hindi lang sa mga bahay, pati na rin sa agriculture at economy (I hope that there will be a change in the mindset of the citizens. This is for them, not for anybody else. This is for the affected areas, not just the houses, but the agriculture sector and economy, as well)”, he said. It can be recalled that thousands of Davao del Norte residents are affected by the perennial flooding of the Libuganon river, which is the 10th largest among the 18 major river systems in the Philippines. Del rosario thanked PAG-ASA, an attached agency under the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), for choosing the province as host of the project. He said the facility fortifies Davao del Norte’s position as a model of disaster preparedness and response efforts in the region. “This facility, once in operation, will really be of great help to all of us. In any calamity and eventuality, ang aming motto dito is zero casualty. We
really have to fight for that”, he said. PAG-ASA-DoST allotted P20 million for the Main operation Center at the Capitol, along with the network of hydrological monitoring equipment for flood forecasting and warning that entails the installation
of automatic rain gauges, water level gauges and relay stations in key areas of the province. regional Disaster risk reduction and Management Council Chair BGen. Loreto rirao added that the monitoring system will ensure that future investments in the
Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, center, and PAGASA Acting Administrator Dr. Vicente Malano, left, lay the time capsule of the P20-million Tagum-Libuganon
flood-prone areas will be based on well-informed decisions. “Hindi lang sa tao ang effect kung hindi sa planning at sa paggastos ng pera. When you put some investment, it should be based on science. Hindi masasayang ang investment ng pama-
halaan at ng mamamayan (The effect is not just on the people but also on planning and expenditure of funds. When you put some investment, it should be based on science so that investment of the government and the citizens would not be wasted)”, he said.
River Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning Center at the Capitol, Mankilam, Tagum City. Ondoy Laguitao/DavNor PIO