The province of Misamis Oriental gets a boost from the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) with an upgraded Flood and Forecasting Weather System in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and El Salvador.
In a statement, DoST Secretary Renato Solidum explained that the flood measuring devices will help the department to publish "timely and accurate flood advisories."
The data that will be obtained from the newly-installed flood monitoring system will then transmit the data to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration PAGASA-Mindanao Regional Services Division, Cagayan de Oro Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and PAGASA’s main office in Quezon City.
The telemetered rainfall monitoring stations are strategically positioned from the uplands of Bukidnon to the downstream of Cagayan De Oro and El Salvador.
Dr. Nathaniel Servando, Administrator of PAGASA, emphasized the importance of the government’s investment in creating a “systematic and comprehensive network” of flood monitoring following the destruction of typhoon "Sendong" 13 years ago.
Typhoon "Sendong" struck Mindanao in December 2011, causing deaths of at least 1,260 individuals while hardly damaging the areas of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City.
“We must redefine disaster resilience — not just as enduring hardship, but as building economic strength and prosperity in the face of adversity. Our story is no longer one of victims — but victors over disasters,” Solidum said, stressing that Filipinos must bear the lessons from every disaster.
The new flood monitoring systems were made in collaboration by the DoST with Japan International Cooperation Agency and local government units.