Transcript Susan R. ESPINUEVA, Philippines Meteorological Society

First Global Meeting of the International Forum of Meteorological Societies
(IFMS – GM 1) hosted by the American Meteorological Society,
18-19 January 2009,
Omni Hotel at CNN Center Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Role of the
Philippine Meteorological
Society in Coping with
Climate Change Risks
in the Philippines
Susan R. Espinueva
President, PMS
Background:
• PMS before 2009
• Activities in 2009
• 2010 and beyond
PMS before 2009
• Founded in 1951 – by a group of dedicated meteorologists from
the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA);
• Registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) – 18 July 1952 – as a non-stock, non-profit corporation; Goal –
promote the advancement of atmospheric sciences & other related
disciplines in the Philippines. After 3 symposia on Tropical Cyclones
and 1 conference, the PMS became inactive for about 10 years
• Reorganized in 1991
- 1st Nat’l Symposium on the Application of Weather & Climate Info – 2002
- Annual National Met-Hydro Convention – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Membership: more than 300 meteorologists, professionals and
technical and non-technical staff from the academe, government & private
institutions, students & weather enthusiasts
Activities in 2009
1. Meetings/conferences/conventions/visits
- Planning meeting of IFMS – paved for the major re-structuring
of the Society: membership, outreach programs, research activities
- 4th Met-hydro convention in 2008 facilitated collaboration with
private institutions:
a. SMART Telecommunication - PMS provides technical
assistance through training of High School teachers in “Project
Raingauge”;
Project Rain Gauge is an initiative of Smart
Communications Inc. under its Smart Schools
Program (SSP). Its goal is to create a
network of ground stations across the country
that would provide supplementary data on
local rainfall measurement in specific areas.
Activities in 2009
- 5th Met-hydro convention in 2009
-- PMS assisted the PAGASA in the MOA signing for “Project STARS”
of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP)
STARS - Storm Tracking, Alert and Relay System
History of Structure Design of NGCP Transmission Towers
Activities in 2009
1. Meetings/conferences/conventions/visits
- 5th Met-hydro convention in 2009
-- IEC for the youth
“Synergizing the Asian Youth” - Experiences from the July
2008 Asian Youth climate Summit
• “we don’t know what to do about it” because it is not our
“personal problem” (Creech, et al., 1999)
• “our government can do something about it” (AYCS, 2008)
• It is beyond our “bubble” that mere thought of it we “can
longer breathe” (Basconcillo, 2007)
• It is “too much for us to handle” (Basconcillo, 2007)
One identified area of heeding the call:
- educate the people on scientific and social aspects of climate
change through theoretical and practical education
Joseph Basconcillo is a Graduate Student of the Institute of Environmental
Science and Meteorology, University of the Philippines - Diliman
Activities in 2009
1. Meetings/conferences/conventions/visits
- 5th Met-hydro convention in 2009
-- Preliminary talks for a collaborative research between
PAGASA, PMS, NCAR and the Asian Disaster
Preparedness Center (ADPC), and the Korean
Meteorological Society (KMS)
- Site visit of JAMSTEC – initial talks on extreme rainfall
research
2. UNISDR Project
Strengthening National Meteorological and
Hydrological Services (NMHS) in Southeast Asia –
covering Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Philippines and
Vietnam
Activities in 2009
3. Participation in the celebration of:
a. Typhoon & Flood Awareness Week: 3rd week of June – Essay Writing Contest
b. National Disaster Consciousness Month – July 2009 – Poster Making Contest
Theme:
“Pag Alerto, Malayo sa Peligro”
Participants: Elementary and High School students
Partners:
PAGASA, Department of Education (DepEd) and
the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)
First Prize Winner (Elementary
Level) Gerrika C. Shi
of Saint Jude Catholic School
with her Coach
The Winners in the Elementary Level with their
coaches and the Board of Judges, PAGASA &
PMS officials
First Prize winner (High School Level)
Roy Gallardo of New Era High School
QC with his coach
2010 and beyond
Drivers: climate change and variability issues
-
Increased manifestation of climate change impacts
(floods/flash floods, rainfall induced landslides, extreme
temperature, strong winds from TCs, storm surges, etc.)
-
Increasing demand for more accurate and reliable
weather and climate forecasts and information
-
Proliferation of non-technical organizations doing
climate change V&A (a lot of NGOs – working on CCA –
need to educate NGOs)
Focus: Research and information services
through partnership and data sharing
2010 and beyond
1. Provide technical support to PAGASA through IEC,
research and the implementation of various
projects;
2. Forge partnership with LGUs and private
institutions to share their resources, especially in
putting up weather monitoring facilities;
3. Conduct research activities in collaboration with the
private sectors (SMART, NGCP), international
organizations (ADPC, JAMSTEC) and the academe
(University of the Philippines);
4. Pursue partnerships with other meteorological
societies (Korea and Taiwan);
5. Outreach programs for the youth, etc.; and
6. Publication of Journals
Thank you
for your attention.