(L-R) Atty. Raissa Bautista, CPI manager for policy, government and public affairs; Jose Navera, CPI maintenance and construction team lead listens as Dr.Gemma Narisma, MO executive director and Genevieve Rose Lorenzo, MO research associate explains how the Automated Weather Station work during the MOA signing recently held at the MO complex in Ateneo De Manila University.
With weather patterns becoming more erratic as each day passes, various groups are finding ways to cope with the unusual events of nature. Such entities like Caltex, thru its Philippine marketer Chevron Philippines Inc. have set up the Metro Weather Project together with the Manila Obsdervatory.
First seen in 2012, the project put in place Automated Weather Sensors in different Caltex stations scattered in around the Metro Manila area. The AWS utilizes solar panels to power sensors that collect data such as rainfall amount and intensity, air temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, wind direction, humidity, and air pressure.
This data can be useful to Local Government Units, the MMDA, and even the DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau. These agencies can use the info collected to analyze the weather and prepare for such things as class cancellation, preparedness and evacuation planning, and even landslide planning.
The project has proven quite successful, enticing Caltex to donate P1M to keep it running until 2022. Moreover, it has trickled down to Iloilo City, Davao City and Davao Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City.
With this endeavor, Caltex hopes to do its bit in order to make life easier for Metro residents. Moreover, the said project aims to save as many lives as possible by warning everyone beforehand about impending disaster.
