Impact of Typhoon Pablo as of December 11, 2012 (www.gov. ph)

• Affected - 5,408,900 persons - 486,554 families in 30 provinces• Persons dead - 1,000 (as of today) injured - 1,906 missing - 844• Total cost of damage – P7,116,388,040.00

Risk reduction and preparedness equipment

• Refer to pieces of equipment or devices or parts thereof that gather, store, archive or monitor meteorological and seismological data and information

• Analyzed and used to warn the public about weather condition, earthquake, volcanic or tsunami activities

Documented theft by PAGASA

• 32 instances of theft of water sensors, signal cables, ground cables, ground rod and grounding wires; also tampering and ransacking of weather stations

• in different river basins in Luzon • for the period February 2005-August 2011

Documented theft by Phivolcs

• 11 incidents of theft and tampering of solar panels, copper grounding cables, GPS antennae, and batteries

• for the period July 2005 to August 2011

• estimated cost of P7M

Punishable acts under RA 10344

• Stealing• Dismantling• Selling and buying• Attempt to commit any of these acts

Penalty under RA 10344

• Depending on the kind of act committed

• --imprisonment ranging from not less than two years but not more than 15 years

• --fine of not less than P200,000 but not more than P3M

• --or both

Project NOAH

• or Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards

• --automated rainfall and flood prediction systems

• --enabled central government agencies, local governments and citizens to prepare and act before intense weather arrived

• --includes dissemination of real time satellite, Doppler radar and other weather information thru TV and the Internet

MOA of House of Reps & PAGASA

• Regular transmission by PAGASA of real-time weather information, bulletins and advisories to the House of Representatives thru the Office of the Secretary General

• Receipt and transmission of weather information by the Members of the House of Representatives to their constituents

Commendation

• of PAGASA, PHIVOLCS and NDRRMC• unrelenting efforts and commitment

to protect the public from natural risks and disasters

• every support to effective and efficient delivery of services is acknowledged such as RA 10344

Dr. Renato V. Solidum

Director, Phivolcs• “Phivolcs is grateful for the approval of RA

10344, the Risk Reduction and Preparedness Equipment Protection Act. As we continuously improve the earthquake, tsunami and volcano monitoring systems all over the country, we hope that this Act will deter the potential loss of monitoring equipment and consequently precious data, which are critical in providing timely and reliable information for the safety of everyone. We thank Congress for its approval.”

Dr. Nathaniel T. Servando Administrator, PAGASA

• “the damages to agricultural crops and infrastructure caused by Habagat and Typhoon Pablo could have been much higher without the enhanced capacity for early warning and monitoring system. PAGASA-DOST officials believe the enactment into law of RA 10344 will convey to the citizens the importance of safeguarding the various weather equipment installed throughout the country as valuable equipment for weather monitoring to strengthen disaster preparedness and mitigation of natural calamities. We are indeed grateful to the Members of the House of Representatives of the 15th Congress, especially to our S & T sector representative – the AGHAM Party-List for this law.”

Usec. Benito T. Ramos,

Executive Director, NDRRMC

• “The approval of the Risk Reduction and Preparedness Equipment Act of 2012 cannot come in a more opportune time than this…The protection of DRRM equipment is crucial in guaranteeing accurate and timely determination of factors involved in hazards. Previously, isolated incidents involving theft and destruction of such equipment have hampered the efforts of NDRRMC and its local counterparts. Now, with the law in place and the prospective cooperation from the LGUs in the implementation process, we are confident our operation shall proceed smoothly. We are thankful to the authors of this law, the entire legislature, and of course, the President for insuring the progress of our DRRM efforts in building a safe, adaptive and disaster-resilient Philippines.”

The greater challenge

• Effective dissemination of information on the provisions of RA 10344

• Seeking support of the Members of the House of Representatives in creating awareness of the provisions of RA 10344 to their respective constituents, the ultimate beneficiaries of all legislative and development efforts

Wishing everyone a joyful and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous 2013!

Image credits

• http://www.davaobloggers.net/wp-content/uploads/pablo-468x312.jpg• http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/genmet/instruments/theodolite.jpg• http://www.blueberry010.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/gov.ph-

DOST-Project-Noah-Logo.jpg• http://cdn2.bulbamerica.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/

0d4d2dbf6d17880eb865d4d6b0c91a52/k/1/k122376_1000_21.jpg• http://www.ausafe.com.au/attachments/Image/Handcuffs.jpg• http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/images/servando.jpg• http://iavcei.org/images/photograph/rene.jpg• http://www.untvweb.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/

IMAGE__UNTV-News__113012__Benito-Ramos_NDRRMC.jpg