GAPO ACQUIRES AUTOMATED WEATHER STATION

The Olongapo City government recently acquired a Davis Vantage Pro2, an Automated Weather Station (AWS),  in line with Mayor Bong Gordon’s thrust to upgrade the city’s disaster risk reduction and management capability.

“The AWS and the forecasts from PAG-ASA will both be information sources that will help us reach speedy decisions regarding risk reduction,” said Mayor Gordon.

Installed at the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the AWS  can record the basic weather parameters of the  locality.

Specifically, it can record the following: wind direction, wind force, prevailing temperature, 24-hour minimum/maximum temperature, barometric pressure, rainfall height, relative humidity, solar radiation and ultraviolet radiation (UV).

The AWS can also forecast the weather conditions of an area for the next hours.

The AWS is being maintained and monitored by a team of professionals composed of Irvin Paras from CDRRMO, Engr. Helson Canero from City Engineering Office, and Engr. Frances Eduarte from the City Planning and Development Office. It can be recalled that Mayor Gordon previously sent the said personnel to a training in Baguio City to learn the operation and maintenance of the AWS .

 “The AWS can definitely help us in predicting the weather and in making appropriate decisions particularly in the suspension of classes during the rainy season and in the early evacuation of people residing near high-risk areas,” explained City Disaster Risk Reduction Officer Angie Layug.

Manual Reconciliation of Election Results completed in Olongapo

As provided in COMELEC RESOLUTION NO. 8923, a manual reconciliation of election results were conducted at SP Session Hall last May 31, 2010.

Comelec Election Office IV Atty. Numer Lobo, acting as chairman of Board of canvassers headed the manual procedure after the PCOS machine at Cluster Precinct 108 provided zero votes for National and Local candidates considering that 693 voters were registered on the said clustered precinct.

Felisa Hipolito, the chairman of Board of Canvassers of Clustered Precinct 108 which consisted of voters from Brgy. Pag-Asa, together with BOC members and representatives of candidates witnessed the procedure.

RESULTS:

Clustered Precinct No.108 – 0403A, 0404A, 0405A, 0405B, 0406A, 0406B
Province: Zambales
City: Olongapo
Barangay: Pag- Asa
Number of Voters who actually voted: 525
Valid Ballots Counted: 525

Mayor Gordon on the Health Impacts of El Niño

“I would like to remind Olongapeños to take extra care with their health, especially now that the temperature seems to be increasing everyday,” said Mayor James “Bong” Gordon Jr.

“According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA), hotter days could be expected due to the dry spell brought about by the El Nino phenomenon and the onset of the summer season. This extremely hot weather carries with it its own effects on health, so we need to inform the public so they can safeguard themselves against the potential health risks,” Mayor Gordon added.

“Due to extreme heat, diseases such as dengue, malaria, diarrhea, cholera, skin diseases, sore eyes flu, chickenpox, measles, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke may arise,” said Dr. Arnildo Tamayo, City Health Officer. “To avoid these diseases, we must always observe cleanliness in our homes and take good care of our body. Always take a bath, drink plenty of fluids, avoid too much exposure in the sun and wear cool and comfortable clothes,” advised Dr. Tamayo.

Meanwhile, PAGASA also warns the public of the possibility of a heatwave as Metro Manila experienced the warmest day at 35.8 degrees Celsius last week and two people died of heatstroke in the country last weekend.

“Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness resulting from a long and extreme exposure to the sun and is a life-threatening emergency. This summer, we are advising residents and tourists to take care while enjoying their time in the city’s beach and resort areas,” said Mayor Gordon.

Adverse effects of heatstroke can be prevented thru the following:

1. By drinking plenty of fluids during outdoor activities, especially on hot days. Choose water and sports drinks instead of tea, coffee, soda and alcohol as these can lead to dehydration;

2. By wearing lightweight, tightly woven, loose-fitting clothing in light colors;

3. By scheduling vigorous activity and sports for cooler times of the day;

4. By wearing a hat, sunglasses and using an umbrella; and

5. By increasing the time spent outdoors gradually to get your body used to the heat.

8 held for illegal gambling in ‘Gapo

OLONGAPO City – The Police Station 3 arrested Sunday night eight persons in raid at the Mini Fair on Magsaysay Avenue and the PAg-Asa Public Market.

Police said they raided the area after minors were allowed to place bets on color games.
The gambling den was allegedly operated by Jong of Barangay San Nicolas, Zambales and Rey of Bulacan.

Police confiscated four tables for color games, 12 pieces of drop ball and P 1,500. The suspects face illegal gambling charges.

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL
Johnny R. Reblando

Pagasa insists on acquiring Doppler radars

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reiterated the need to acquire a Doppler radars, in the wake of the havoc created by the tornadoes which consecutively hit provinces in Central Luzon the past weeks.

Aside from the capability to predict the volume of rainfall during frequent typhoons, Doppler radars can see the "inside" of a thunderstorm and detect hazardous weather conditions such as tornadoes.

A tornado, or a twister, is a localized windstorm with a speed of 450 kilometers per hour, characterized by funnel-shaped, rapidly whirling cloud extending downward from the base of a dark cumulonimbus or thunderstorm clouds.

Since July 30 this year, five tornadoes have struck Central Luzon - each in towns of Baliuag, San Rafael, San Miguel, Bocaue, all in Bulacan, and one in Candaba, Pampanga.

Twisters are spawned by severe weather condition, including the prevalence of low pressure area and cloudiness associated with intertropical convergence zone. These promote the formation of thunderstorm clouds, the breeding grounds of twisters.

"Central Luzon, particularly Bulacan, is not high-risk to tornadoes," said Jun Dalida, assistant chief of the Pagasa National Disaster Reduction Branch. She clarified amidst earlier reports that said province should expect more twisters in the coming days.

A total of 172 tornadoes has occured nationwide, mostly in Mindanao, since 1994, data from the Pagasa said.

On Nov. 29, 1994, a tornado struck Cotabato City and farming villages in southern Philippines, where 14 people went missing. A month earlier, on Oct. 16, three people were killed when a tornado struck an evacuation center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

On July 2, 1994, a tornado killed two children in a riverside village near Cagayan de Oro City. But the heaviest toll was recorded on June 14, 1990 when 30 people were killed when a tornado swept through a village in Manukan town, Zamboanga del Norte province.

Two Doppler radars, worth P110 million are currently at the bidding process at the Procurement Office at the Department of Budget and Management.

Once acquired, the radars will be installed in Subic, Olongapo and Tagaytay in Cavite.

The government is embarking on a grand plan, which seeks to have 10 doppler radars installed in various parts of the country by year 2010. (PNA)