ENACTMENT of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Modernization bill is crucial in reducing hazard impacts as it will boost the agency’s capabilities.
“This is a historic step to better improve our capacity to provide faster, more accurate, and wider-reaching information on earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other geotectonic hazards. The passage of this (measure) into law will not only benefit Phivolcs, but our countrymen as well,” Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol told reporters on Tuesday.
Although the Phivolcs gets regular budget under the General Appropriations Act, this is only for basic operations, he pointed out.
The Modernization Act is for huge upgrades, Bacolcol said.
Under the law, the Phivolcs will get P7 billion over five years, which Bacolcol said will be used for the upgrade of equipment and facilities to deliver more accurate and timely information and add more seismic and volcano monitoring stations, especially in high-risk areas, among other purposes.
He said additional funds will also strengthen the agency’s human resources through higher salaries, incentives, and scholarship programs for experts and expand public education and information campaigns on geohazards.
“The public can expect more modernized, faster, and wider-reaching warning systems. We will have more monitoring stations, more experts, and earlier detection and assessment of hazards,” he said.
Bacolcol said Phivolcs’ lobby for the passage of the Modernization Act started in 2023, under the helm of Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.
Both Bacolcol and his predecessor, Solidum, said they are thankful for the support of the legislators and President Marcos.
“The Philippines is a country exposed to various geological hazards such as those related to occurrences of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. We need to reduce the possible impacts of these hazards to people’s lives, infrastructures, assets, livelihood, and businesses,” Solidum said.
He added that with the Phivolcs modernization law, improved monitoring systems and counterpart human resources can lead to better early warnings, hazards and risk assessment, and disaster risk reduction, Solidum emphasized.
“With the rapid population increase and development of the country which also increases disaster risk, and the rapid technological development, we need to catch up and put in place the appropriate infrastructures, equipment and human resources in a shorter period of time,” he said.