The Iloilo Provincial Government is looking to establish an agrometeorological station in each of its five districts to provide a “realistic weather forecast.”

Iloilo Fourth District Board Member Rolando Distura, who also chairs the Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on disaster risk reduction and management, stressed on Friday last week, Sept. 27, said the importance of establishing agrometeorological stations.

“We need to have a climate and weather station to get the data and provide a realistic forecast, what will be the weather and climate ahead of us. This will be part of our decision making and policy direction in our command center,” he said.

The province currently has one agrometeorological station in Dumangas town.

“Hopefully, they can also provide a property in Guimbal town, Janiuay, and Barotac Viejo and Carles so that the province of Iloilo will have a realistic and enhanced data on weather,” he said.

Distura, along with personnel of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA), has met with Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Thursday and Friday.

Distura said the governor approved the establishment of the agrometeorological stations in Santa Barbara town and in Iloilo’s component city of Passi.

PAGASA will provide the instruments for the stations while the province will provide a property where the instruments can be installed.

“The weather station needs at least 1,500 to 2,000 square meters and must not have obstructions to have a real collection of weather data,” Distura said.

The instruments that will be provided by PAGASA include wind speed, wind vain, sunshine recorder, thermometers, evaporation ponds, rain gauge, among others.

One station has enhanced data information gathered in 50 kilometers radius “so if you have five to six stations in the province, it would be better,” he said.

He said the agrometeorological station will be manned by officers of the province’s disaster risk reduction and management office.

Meanwhile, Ma. Fe Villamora, a senior weather specialist of PAGASA Central office, said the two stations in Iloilo will be built in 2020.

Aside from realistic weather forecast, Villamora said the station can also be useful for agricultural activities in the province.

“The parameters of weather an climate, if analyzed, will be useful for agricultural activities. If you will manage and analyze the result, it can help in the monitoring,” she said.

For instance, the data that will be provided by the station will identify the development and generation of insect pests.

“There are insect pests that develop if the temperature is high, and vice versa,” she said.

Villamora said the PAGASA will also send its personnel to provide technical support in running the stations.PNA

PHOTO BY: CLARK VILLARUEL ANTIQUIERA/IMTNEWS