Smart launches weather monitoring, disaster alert system in Davao City

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Smart Communications Inc., in coordination with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) and the Ateneo de Davao University, has launched here a weather monitoring and disaster alert system that aims to boost the city’s disaster preparedness and response program. 

Ramon Isberto, Smart’s public affairs head, said the installation of the automatic weather station and disaster alert system at the city’s Public Safety Command Center was aimed at addressing the perennial flooding problem.

Isberto said Smart has allocated some P1 million for the development and installation of the computerized weather monitoring station which is composed of a thermometer, anemometer, wind vane, hygrometer, barometer, and a rain gauge.

The devices are used to measure basic parameters such as temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, pressure, and rainfall intensity. 

Isberto said an Ateneo de Davao team also developed river monitoring stations, four of which will be set up along the Suwawan and Waan Rivers and on the Bantol and Lacson bridges. 

He said Smart also donated some 20 manual rain gauges to be installed in the city’s flood-prone barangays.

“We want to develop projects that are replicable,” said Isberto. “This is a good example of public-private partnership which was mentioned by President Aquino in his SONA (State of the Nation Address) last Monday.”

Isberto said they are willing to assist other local governments which want to develop their own weather monitoring and disaster alert system.

Susan Espinueva, chief of Pagasa’s Hydrometeorological Division, said the project would be useful not only in disaster mitigation efforts but also for other sectors like agriculture. 

“Local weather monitoring is important,” she said. “It should be local government-driven. If we force them to implement this kind of projects it will not be effective,” Espinueva said. 

Isberto said members of the Ateneo de Davao team attended a weeklong immersion program with Pagasa to learn how to maximize the use and benefits of the mini weather station, including calibrating the instruments according to international standards.

Engineer Marloue Pidor, leader of the Ateneo de Davao team, and project consultant George Frederick Tujan took part in the calibration of two prototypes of the low-cost automatic weather station, Isberto said.

The industry-academe partnership between Smart and Ateneo de Davao is in line with the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP), of which the latter is a partner school, Isberto said.