Sept27 - House Approves On 3rd Reading A Bill Providing For A 3-Year PAGASA Modernization Program

SEPT.
27, 2012
NR # 2875
House approves on 3rd reading a bill providing for a 3-year PAGASA modernization program
The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure providing for the modernization of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) by upgrading its technological and operational capacity to effectively and efficiently perform its mandate. Reps. Julio Ledesma IV (1st District, Negros Occidental), Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, and Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya (1st District, Cavite), Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, endorsed the bill for plenary approval. Under the measure, the modernization program to be implemented over a period of three years, shall upgrade physical resources and operational techniques through the acquisition of state-of-the art instruments, equipment and facilities in providing timely and reliable forecasting and warning service. House Bill 6546 to be known as the PAGASA Modernization Act of 2012, are authored by Reps. Angelo Palmones (Party List, AGHAM), Marcelino Teodoro (1st District, Marikina City), Diosdado Arroyo (2nd District, Camarines Sur), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga), Joseph Victor Ejercito (Lone District, San Juan City), Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City), Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. (Party List, Abante Mindanao), Mark Villar (Lone District, Las Pias City) and Danilo Suarez (3rd District, Quezon). Palmones said the policy of the State is to utilize scientific knowledge and information as an effective instrument to ensure the safety, well-being and economic security of the people, promote national progress and to contribute to regional socio economic development through various applications of meteorology, geophysics and space sciences. With the modernization program of PAGASA, it shall serve as a technology-based financially stable data center thus, becoming the central information station for real time weather updates available to every individual and for the Philippines typhoon preparedness plan, Palmones said. Under the bill, the University of the Philippines Los Baos, Bicol University, Central Luzon State University, Mariano Marcos State University, Pamantasan ng Maynila and the Visayas State University are mandated to offer undergraduate degrees in Meteorology as well as other state, private universities and colleges within three years
from enactment of the proposed act. The measure seeks to raise the research and development capability of human resources development by adopting a rationalized and integrated approach, with focus on improving the operations for cost recovery on specialized services. PAGASA shall implement a sustainable cost recovery program that will allow PAGASA to earn revenue from fees to be collected from the issuance of specialized weather information, certifications, scientific and technical publications. The bill provides that grants, bequests, contributions and donations, whether from local or foreign sources may be accepted subject to the approval of the President upon the recommendations of the Secretaries of the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Foreign Affairs. There shall be appropriate funds to support the implementation of the modernization program chargeable against the current fiscal year appropriations of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Thereafter, the amount needed for the continued implementation of the modernization program shall be included in the annual GAA. The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Director of PAGASA, in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), shall formulate the PAGASA Modernization Program. An annual progress report of the PAGASA Modernization Program shall be submitted by the Director of PAGASA through the Secretary of the DOST, to the President and to the Chairperson of the Committees on Science and Technology of the Senate and the House of Representatives. (30) jsc

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