Weather-related disaster risk reduction and management program of the City Government of Valenzuela gets a boost with the real time weather data to be provided by the new Automated Weather Station (AWS) from the Weather Philippines Foundation (WPF) and League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP).

Turned over last Friday (February 8) in a simple ceremony held at the Valenzuela City Hall, the solar powered Lufft AWS is the latest model among the state-of-the-art equipments used by meteorologists to gather real time data for a reliable forecast. 

The so-called “Mercedes Benz” of AWSs can measure temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, solar radiation, wind speed, wind direction and amount of rainfall.  It is capable of transmitting data every 10 minutes via dataloggers from Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Advance Science and Technology Institute (ASTI)

Extreme weather disturbances like “Ondoy” and the “habagat” brought so much unexpected rain which flooded most parts of Metro Manila and Central Luzon.  “Having a gauge on the amount of rain to fall on a certain area could help a lot on the response system and contingency measures of the LGU to reduce the risk it may pose to the constituency, especially now that the weather is really erratic,” City Mayor Sherwin T. Gatchalian said on his acceptance speech.

The weather station will be installed at the Valenzuela City External Services Office (Action Center) under close monitoring from the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.

This data to be collected on the 400 AWS targeted to be installed will complement and not compete with the state weather bureau Pagasa.  “Pagasa is still the source of primary and official data,” stressed WPF General Manager, Engr. Celso Caballero III. “But the AWS could provide immediate and localized forecasts.”

Weather information transmitted by the AWS can be accessed at the weather portal - weather.com.ph.

The turnover was followed by an installation and maintenance training workshop facilitated by WPF O & E Supervisor, Engr. Alvin Tobias, which was attended by Valenzuela City DRRMO personnel and other employees, and by representatives from various Metro Manila cities.

The Weather Philippines Foundation, Inc., a non-profit corporation formed by Aboitiz Power, Unionbank and Meteomedia, is committed to help LGUs acquire enough knowledge and resources to become resilient against disasters. 

LCP Secretary General, Mayor Hernani Braganza and WPF Representative, Mr. Sabino M. Aboitiz signed the Memorandum of Understanding in as witnessed by Aboitiz Group Vice President for Government Relations, Ms. Susan Policarpio and Valenzuela City Mayor, Hon. Mayor Sherwin T. Gatchalian

Also present were LCP Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Yvetter Yap, LCP environmental Unit Head, Mr. Alvidon Asis, and to give background on the new Lufft AWS, Meteomedia Senior Vice president, Mr. Mark Vornhusen.