MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III directed the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to immediately facilitate the installation of over 1,000 automatic water level sensors in the country's 18 major river basins.
In a statement, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the President has already directed the immediate release of funding for the project as the country braces for the effect of La Nina phenomenon next year.
He added that the government will prioritize the installation of sensors in Cagayan de Oro River (two sensors upstream, one downstream); Iponan River in Misamis Oriental (one sensor); and Iligan City River (one sensor upstream, one sensor downstream).
The three areas were severely affected by the devastation of Tropical Storm Sendong that left 1,080 people dead while more than 1,000 others remained missing.
Abad noted that the project aimed at enhancing the government weather forecasting system, especially in tracking river water levels for potential floods.
“The Aquino administration is moving fast…in providing additional technology to refine our country’s weather prediction systems," he said.
"The production and installation of the automatic water level sensors are part of the Aquino administration’s immediate-response projects for Visayas and Northern Mindanao,” he added.
Since the 1980s, only four rivers in the country have water level sensors.
Among the country’s major river basins included:
1 Cagayan 27,280 (Drainage Area/sq.km) 505 (Length/km) II (Region Location)
2 Cotabato 23,169 373 XII
3 Agusan 10,621 350 X
4 Pampanga 9,759 260 III
5 Agno 5,952 206 III
6 Abra 5,125 178 I
7 Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Bay 4,678 78 IV(1/3)
8 Bicol 3,771 136 V
9 Abulog 3,372 175 II
10 Tagum-Libuganon 3,064 89 XI
11 Ilog-Hilabangan 1,945 124 VI
12 Panay 1,843 132 VI
13 Tagoloan 1,704 106 X
14 Agus 1,645 36 X
15 Davao 1,623 150 XI
16 Cagayan De Oro 1,521 90 X
17 Jalaur 1,503 123 VI
18 Buayan-Malungun 1,434 60 XI
19 Amburayan 1,386 - I
20 Laoag 1,353 73 I
21 Amnay-Patrick 993 100 IV(2/3)
* Iloilo 93 11 VI
* Ormoc 37 29 VIII
* Cebu 64 62 VII
(* - small rivers with high risk of potential damages that runs across major cities)
In related development, the DBM has already released P150 million for the purchase of three Doppler radars to boost national weather monitoring, accurate forecasting, and early flood warning.
The Doppler radars will be installed in Antique, Palawan, and the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Dopplers that will be set up in the western parts of the country are expected to complete the country’s real-time coverage of weather trends.