DAVAO CITY — More automated weather stations (AWS) will be installed in Mindanao this year: at least 11 in the Davao region—eight in Davao City and three in Davao Oriental this month; and nine more in Cagayan de Oro next month.
The project, a partnership of the Manila Observatory, Shell and SMART Communications with local government units and universities, is in support of the Manila Observatory’s expansion of its network of AWS, “an established system of standalone devices that can accurately record temperature and humidity, solar radiation, wind speed and direction, as well as rainfall,” organizers said at the Seminar on Climate Resilience held at the Marco Polo hotel, July 9.
The project aims to install a total of 50 AWS nationwide, in Metro Manila, Iloilo, Davao and Cagayan de Oro, with Shell donating the AWS and offering its gas stations and oil depots as sites and Smart to provide technology in data transmission.
With the installation of the additional AWS, information gathered will enhance the Manila Obser-vatory’s urban risk and resilience analysis, as well as its regional and local climate system research.
Based in the Ateneo de Manila University, the Manila Observatory has 40 AWS in Metro Manila. In Mindanao, the Manila Observatory has existing stations in Dahilayan, Bukid-non; Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro; Matina Hills in Davao City; Notre Dame of Marbel in Koronadal City; and Ateneo de Zamboanga in Zambo-anga City.
The Manila Observatory-Shell-Smart’s first AWS in Mindanao was unveiled at the Shell retail station, Hi-Serve, along the Diversion Road in Davao City’s Barangay Cabantian at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 10.
The ten other AWS sites that will be installed this month are in Shell’s Sasa Depot; the Shell retail stations in Purok 16, National Highway in Calinan; Diversion Road in Langub; MacArthur Highway in Ulas, Talomo; BagoAplaya in Talomo; MatinaAplaya; Carpenter St. in Agdao; and “three partner sites to be determined in Davao Oriental.”
The AWS network is intended to directly benefit the LGUs in their climate and disaster resilience planning.
Resilience
Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Manila Observatory’s Executive Director, said the project is “an effort to detect how rainfall and other weather parameters are actually impacting Davao City.”
She noted the trend in coastal urbanization, with Davao City identified by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as among 12 metropolitan areas for investment.
Loyzaga said it is important for the business community as well as the public to get a better understanding of “how climate is in fact impacting their current and future business and how this impacts economic development of Davao City.” (MindaNews)
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