Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology ( Filipino : Surian ng Pilipinas sa Bulkanolohiya at Sismolohiya), or PHIVOLCS for short , is an authority in the Philippines whose main task is to mitigate and mitigate the effects of natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions , earthquakes , tsunamis and other geotectonic phenomena .
The Philippines is located in a seismically active region that has experienced around 90 strong earthquakes and around 40 tsunamis in the past 400 years.
history
The forerunner of today's authority was founded on June 20, 1952 under the name Commission on Volcanology (COMVOL) in response to the devastating eruption of the Hibok-Hibok volcano on the island of Camiguin in December 1951, in which and as a result up to 3000 people lost their lives. The massive eruption and the far-reaching consequences, which left people in the region relatively unprepared, highlighted the need for serious investigation and monitoring of seismic and volcanological activity in the country.
In March 1982, as part of a restructuring and reorganization, COMVOL was given the new name Philippine Institute of Volcanology (PHIVOLC) . Another two years later, in September 1984, the seismology department , which had previously been assigned to the PAGASA meteorological service , was handed over to PHIVOLC. Since then, the agency has been called the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and is subordinate to the Ministry of Science and Technology, or DOST (Department of Science and Technology) for short.
today
The main tasks of the authority are:
- the prediction of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and their accompanying geotectonic phenomena
- determining the causes of eruptions and earthquakes and identifying areas at risk
- gathering sufficient data to predict volcanic activity and earthquakes
- mitigating the hazards of volcanic activity through timely detection, forecasting and an early warning system
- the preparation of disaster risk reduction plans
The head office is located on the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines in Quezon City . This is also where the central data analysis from measuring stations across the country takes place. PHIVOLCS has 92 seismological stations, 30 of which are staffed, the rest unmanned, and 6 volcano observation stations. The latter 6 observatories are located at the Taal , Pinatubo , Mayon , Bulusan , Kanlaon and Hibok-Hibok volcanoes . In addition to the creation of general risk analyzes, the cartographic evaluation and representation of danger areas and the like, the tasks of the authority include promoting awareness of earthquake hazards and preparing for emergencies. For example, earthquake exercises have been held regularly at schools in the state since 2002.
The authority is headed by a director and the organizational structure is divided into 4 technical departments as well as a finance and administration department, all of which are subordinate to the director's office. The current director of PHILVOLCS is Renato U. Solidum Jr. The four technical departments are divided into volcanic observation and eruption prediction (VMEPD) , seismic observation and earthquake prediction (SOEPD) , geological and geophysical research and development (GGRDD) and the department for geological disaster awareness and preparedness (GDAPD) .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b phivolcs.gov.ph: News , (English), accessed on August 3, 2017
- ↑ camiguin.gov.ph: Know the story , accessed on August 3, 2017
- ↑ phivolcs.dost.gov.ph: Philippine Seismic Network 2016 , accessed on August 3, 2017
- ↑ a b Phivolcs Citizens Charter (PDF), accessed on August 3, 2017