Pagasa to acquire first atomic clock

MANILA, Philippines - The state weather bureau will acquire next year its first Caesium atomic clock to provide more accurate timekeeping data.

Mario Raymundo, chief of the Time Service Section of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has approved the purchase of three state-of- the-art Caesium 5071A clocks worth more than P50 million.

Caesium standard or caesium atomic clocks are the most accurate time and frequency standards known.

These are used as primary standards for international time distribution services, he said.

Atomic clocks are more reliable timekeepers since their oscillations are not subject to change from environmental factors such as humidity that would decrease the accuracy of normal clocks.

“The caesium 5071A is the top of the line caesium clock,” Raymundo said.

He said the clock would allow the country to determine and contribute to universal coordinated time (UTC).

“All countries contribute in the determination of the UTC. The US has UTC-NIT, and Australia has UTC-AUS, soon we will have UTC-Phl,” he said.

Raymundo said the bidding for the caesium clocks will likely start in January or February 2014. He said the Caesium 5071A can maintain time consistently to within one second over 30 million years, and has a maximum lifespan of 15 years.

Raymundo also urged all Filipinos to synchronize all time devices to the Philippine Standard Time (PhST).

Republic Act 10535 or the Philippine Standard Time of 2013 declares the first week of every year as the National Time Consciousness Week.

Raymundo said RA 10535, which was passed into law on May 15, aims to change the so-called “Filipino time” – the attitude of constantly being late – to the habit of being punctual.

He also pushed for the use of PhST in all ports, airports, bus terminals and train stations in the country.

Raymundo said PAGASA has already installed seven digital clocks in Malacañang.

He said the DOST has also approved the release of less than P1.5 million for the purchase of eight new digital clocks to be installed in key public areas in Metro Manila this year.