Phivolcs Modernization Act hailed

The newly signed Phivolcs Modernization Act is a life-saving investment for Filipinos living near active volcanoes, according to a lawmaker.

Albay Second District Representative Joey Salceda -- who principally authored Republic Act (RA) 12180 -- said his time as Albay governor from 2007 to 2016 made him acutely aware of the need for advanced monitoring systems.

"We had to be ready every hour, every day. We worked with Phivolcs hand-in-hand, and we built systems that are now being emulated across the country," said Salceda.

The law mandates the acquisition and upgrade of state-of-the-art instruments and equipment for volcano, earthquake, and tsunami monitoring and warning systems. The Philippines has 24 active volcanoes and over 100 seismic faults.  

"President Marcos was right in saying this law will help mitigate the impact of natural hazards, a vision we share that puts science at the center of national defense," Salceda said.

He credited his successful disaster preparedness efforts in Albay to his partnership with Dr. Renato Solidum, now Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology. "Secretary Solidum and I kept Albay safe through eruptions, earthquakes, and lahars," he said.

Salceda, who will end his term as legislator in June and is running for governor again, said RA 12180 will enhance the country’s capacity to forecast and issue real-time alerts for natural disasters.

While celebrating the law's enactment, Salceda renewed his call for the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR), a proposal he authored to consolidate the country’s fragmented disaster response framework.

"RA 12180 gives us sharper eyes, but we also need faster hands," he said. "I call on Congress and the executive to finally pass the DDR bill and complete our disaster risk governance structure."

The neighboring province of Sorsogon is currently dealing with the recent eruption of Bulusan Volcano.