The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration inaugurated on Wednesday, Oct. 14, two weather facilities it said will strengthen Davao del Sur's weather monitoring capabilities.
PAGASA said the joint groundbreaking ceremony for the Digos S-Band Doppler Weather Radar, PAGASA's first in Digos City, and the Digos City Synoptic Station, the first facility of its kind in Davao del Sur, was held in Barangay Igpit.
According to PAGASA, the synoptic station will support its daily forecasting operations and build a localized long-term climate database for Digos with its capacity to deliver continuous surface observations including rainfall, humidity, temperature, atmospheric pressure and wind dynamics.
The S-Band Doppler Radar, meanwhile, features a "longer signal wavelength specifically engineered to penetrate heavy precipitation."
"Once operational, it will track storm structures and localized rainfall across Davao del Sur and neighboring areas, giving forecasters the ability to issue earlier and more precise warnings," PAGASA said.
According to the weather bureau, by generating localized high-precision data, the two facilities will "empower Davao del Sur communities to shift toward anticipatory disaster action," which is key in a province that is "historically vulnerable to torrential rains, flash floods and landslides."
“Every science-based decision can save a life and prevent economic loss. That is the true value of science—not just helping us understand hazards, but empowering us to act before they turn into disasters,” Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum said.
He said that as climate risks "grow more complex, we must shift from reactive disaster response to proactive risk management."
"We must live by the principle that resilience is not merely surviving, but thriving despite challenges," he added.
