Taiwan pledges to assist RP in forecasting weather

MANILA, Philippines - Taiwan will help the Philippines improve its weather forecasting capability through its provision of advanced equipment and technology in 15 weather stations throughout the country.

Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) resident representative Antonio I. Basilio said the Philippines and Taiwan both to pursue close technical cooperation in weather forecasting with an early warning system for typhoons and other weather disturbances.

The agreement would pave the way for the establishment and operation of a network of 15 automatic weather stations (AWS) throughout the Philippines to provide better and on-time weather data. The AWS network will help generate better forecasts for weather disturbances approaching the Philippine area of responsibility, an area that also includes Taiwan because of the close proximity of both nations to each other.

“Taiwan and the Philippines must really cooperate more actively and deeply with each other in the area of weather forecasting. The AWS project will be a major milestone in the collaboration of both countries to keep their people safer from the onslaught of typhoons and other weather disturbances,” said Basilio.

Under the agreed technical cooperation, Taiwan will provide the hardware for the AWS, including 15 sets of basic automatic weather stations and peripherals. It will also provide needed training to Filipino personnel in charge of the AWS.

For its part, Philippine weather forecasting agency PAGASA will provide the appropriate sites for each of the 15 AWS and the personnel to manage the operation of the stations. Both countries will share the meteorological data to be generated by the AWS network.

The 15 automatic weather stations will cost about P15.5 million. Taiwan will provide 15 sets of basic automatic weather stations including data logger, data modem, solar power supply, computer workstation and software.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will spend for the installation, operation and maintenance of the 15 stations. This is estimated to cost over P2 million. Installation of the 15 AWS will start as soon as possible.