DOST installs new Doppler radar in Catanduanes

The Department of Science and Technology, through the sponsorship of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, installed yesterday a new Doppler radar in Bato, Catanduanes. Set in a very strategic location, the Doppler faces the Pacific Ocean and lies in the Bicol area where 90 percent of typhoons pas s throug h th is corridor every year. The Doppler radar functions as a sentry that monitors weather conditions that affect not only Bicolandia and the Visayas but most areas in the western side of the archipelago. 

“The Doppler radar serves as a sentinel. It is always on guard to provide valuable info on incoming typho on,” said DOST Secretary Mario Montejo. “Its installation in a highly strategic location like in Bato, Catanduanes is very vital to the government’s disaster preparedness and mitigation program.” The new Doppler radar is equipped with advanced features such as more extensive weather monitoring, rainfall measurement, and destructive winds tracking. The radar comes with state-of-the-art solid state transmitter that can transmit and analyze information in real time.

Through the Doppler radar, DOST’s Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa)  will be able to detect and track rainclouds and potential thunderstorms more

accurately. President Benigno Aquino III who inaugurated the project expressed the importance of  the  Doppler project which he personally pushed, and was attentive to Sec. Montejo’s presentation on the long-term plans on radar systems that are capable of rainfall forecast.“The DOST is steadfast in its commitment to improve weather forecasting and timeliness of detecting weather conditions,” said Sec. Montejo. “It is our aim to minimize human casualty during weather disturbances.” The new Doppler

radar replaced an existing radar system that was installed in 1964 for the people of . Two more Doppler radars will be established to complement the system—one in Aparri, Cagayan province and another in Guiuan, Samar province to be installed in December this year and in September  2013, respectively. The Doppler radar which costs about P580 million was funded by grant aid from the JICA. The total project

cost totals to P1.7 billion.