Senator Francis "Tol" Tolentino believes that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) plays a crucial role, necessitating the allocation of modern equipment for their operations.
In line with this, Senator Tolentino has called for a P10 billion budget for the PHIVOLCS Modernization Fund within two years, as stated in his Senate Bill 2164, also known as the "PHIVOLCS Modernization Act."
This move comes amid recent volcanic activities such as the unrest of Mount Mayon in Albay, Taal Volcano in Batangas, and Mount Kanlaon in Negros Occidental.
According to Senator Tolentino, the allocated funds will be fully utilized for capital outlay, specifically for the acquisition of modern equipment for the volcano, earthquake, and tsunami monitoring.
The development of the Volcano Monitoring Network Infrastructure and the Earthquake Monitoring and Information System Development are among the key targets.
In addition, PHIVOLCS should have a permanent and dedicated building to support its operations effectively.
The proposal also includes provisions for the comprehensive training of vulcanologists and an increase in their benefits and salaries.
PHIVOLCS will remain an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), led by an Executive Director with the rank of Undersecretary, appointed by the President.
With the Philippines being located within the Pacific Ring of Fire and has 300 volcanoes, 24 of which are active, the importance of bolstering PHIVOLCS' capabilities and resources becomes evident.
The country frequently experiences earthquakes due to its geographical location.
The PHIVOLCS Modernization Act aims to address these concerns by providing the necessary funding and support to ensure effective volcano and earthquake monitoring and enhance disaster preparedness efforts in the Philippines.
