MODERNIZATION BILL VS. VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AND EARTHQUAKES

potentially active volcanoes.

Of the 24 active volcanoes, “only 10 are being monitored,” wrote Allan Mauro V. Marfal, of the Science and Technology Information Institute (STII) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). “Of the 10 monitored active volcanoes only two —Taal and Mayon—have complete monitoring systems.”

The two active volcanoes are both located in Luzon: Taal (the second most active volcano with 38 recorded historical eruptions) and Mayon (a popular tourist spot and is renowned for its “perfect cone”).

“The human and economic impacts of an insufficiently equipped active volcano is high,” Marfal wrote, citing the case of Cabalian Volcano, an active volcano located in Southern Leyte.

“(Cabalian Volcano) does not have sufficient monitoring instruments. If its activity is not monitored, 240,000 individuals, and 30 airports could be affected by volcanic ash,” Marfal wrote.

Perhaps, most Filipinos are now aware of earthquakes as they become common these days.

“The Philippines suffers around 20 earthquakes a day but most are too weak to be felt,” Bennet wrote.

The Philippine Archipelago lies between two major tectonic plates: the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PhiVolcs).

“Philippine Sea Plate is moving towards the Philippine Archipelago at the rate of about 7 centimeters every year,” PhiVolcs states. “The Eurasian Plate is being subducted along western side of Luzon and Mindoro at the rate of 3 centimeters per year except on Mindoro and northwest of Zamboanga where collision is taking place.”

At the intersection of the two aforementioned plates is the Philippine Fault Zone, “which decouples the northwestward motion of the Pacific with the southwestward motion of the Eurasian Plate.” Movements along other active faults are reportedly responsible for the present-day high seismicity of the Philippine archipelago.

According to Marfal, our country also lags in earthquake monitoring. We have only 117 seismic stations. In comparison, Taiwan, which is one-tenth the size of the Philippines, has 194.

This is the reason why PhiVolcs is batting for the modernization bill to minimize and prevent casualties and property losses from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The modernization bill “aims to modernize the opera-

“We have to heal our wounded world. The chaos, despair and senseless destruction we see today are a result of the alienation that people feel from each other and their environment.” - MICHELANGELO. *******

On May 14, 2023 the State of Israel celebrates its 75 years of nationhood.

In 1948, the United Nations declared the free new state of Israel where the Philippines was one of the majority countries who voted favorably.

I don’t know with you but I agree with many bible scholars, theologians and preachers who collectively believe that there is biblical basis for this awe-inspiring development.

I don’t need to cite the book, the chapter and the verses to support and cement its foundational background to avoid turning this piece into a religious item. So much explanation and elaboration have been expounded in the past and in today’s contemporary times about Israel’s (mis)fortunes and the eventual homecoming pilgrimage tions of the agency and enhance their ability to provide timely and accurate information, warnings, and recommendations to the public, government agencies, and other concerned stakeholders in the event of natural disasters.”

The bill includes allocating funds, which will be around seven billion, for the acquisition and maintenance of state-of-the-art equipment, infrastructure improvement, research and development, and capacity building of PhiVolcs personnel.

PhiVolcs Director Teresito C. Bacolcol said during a consultative meeting recently that there is a need to add more seismic stations in the country to effectively increase the detectability and locate small earthquakes particularly for faults that exhibit low activity prior to large events. In addition, a denser network would help reveal active faults that have no clear surface expressions.

On the other hand, for tsunami monitoring, through this modernization bill, PhiVolcs plans to establish at least 50 more stations for tsunami detection for coastal communities at risk to tsunamis, develop effective warning systems, and install sensors offshore close to tsunami sources.

According to Dir. Bacolcol, 21 out of 24 active volcanoes have incomplete hazard maps, putting

28 provinces at risk. Meanwhile, 27 potentially active volcanoes have incomplete hazard maps, putting 17 provinces at risk. He also emphasized that only 38 out of 82 provinces have complete earthquake hazard maps.

“Filipinos would greatly benefit from the passage of this modernization bill. Many of us are aware of the impacts of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Casualties, property losses, all of these will be prevented or minimized if we have adequate monitoring equipment across the country. This will greatly help us formulate policy recommendations and guidance to our local government units and communities,” said Dir. Bacolcol.

Unfortunately, most Filipino households are not prepared for calamities and natural hazards despite living in a disaster-prone country. This was what the survey conducted by Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Disaster Net found out.

“Only 36% of respondents felt fully prepared in the face of disasters, while 33% reported that they were somewhat prepared when calamities strike,” wrote Inquirer reporter Jhesset O. Enano. “The remaining third claimed that they were only slightly or not at all ready for natural hazards.”

(aliyah) of millions of Jews worldwide has come true.

Personally, I am happy to see that despite political differences polarizing this small Zionist nation, Israel’s leaders still cling to each other whenever the country’s security and the people’s safety are threatened.

Just a sliver of real estate surrounded by many hostile Arab and Muslim countries, Israel continues to preserve its sovereignty without any oppositiion leader and group hungry to overthrow the duly established authority. There is no one in Israel’s colofrul andf monumental history that an opposition politician betrayed his country by seeking help from Israel’s enemies that desire the former’s defeat and downfall.

I am establishing this facet of history in comparison to the Philippine situation where oppositionists go to the extent of conniving and colluding with foreign entities, groups and blocs to help them bring down the legitmate and duly-elected government of the Philippines.

(The efforts of the power-hun- gry opposition to oust the Duterte government by elevating complaints of human rights violations to the International Criminal Court this corner looked as treasonous and unpatriotic.

For the sake of argument, had the ICC triumphed in imposing its kind of justice on PRRD and he gets executed for human rights violations much like past of ICC’s convicted respondents, would our country be not thrown into chaos and perhaps even a bloody and violent civil war?)

It is unfortunate that we need to present the glaring disparity between the people of Israel and the Filipino people in this light considering that we are going through a difficult period in our respective national life.

Independence is a term very sacred to the people of Israel, especially the Jews who suffered global persecution in various periods of their lives.

Filipinos have already changed several horses in the mainstream of political leadership but the country remains in tatters and continues to struggle politically and economically.

With Bibi Netanyahu back as PM (the longest serving prime minister to date), Israeli citizens are being confronted with proposals for judicial reforms which have divided - down the middle - the country’s perception of democracy and trust in their political structure.

This is another area of national life where Pinoys and Israelis differ.

Although tens of thousands initially are marching on the streets to register their protests against the Netanyahu-sponsored judicial reforms in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other urban cities, an equal number of rallyists and backers have also gone likewise declaring their support of the Netanyahu proposal.

Here, while there are already legislative efforts going inside the halls of Congress regarding proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution, Pinoys are still in the dark as to whether they should voice their support or not.

Why is this so?

Don’t Pinoys understand that amending the constitution and making it more responsive to the needs of the people should be a primordial duty as a citizen of this country?

I think that one of the reasons why Pinoys seem adamant and nonchalant is because the very relevant issues are not being discussed and debated regularly in public and written extensively by the mainstream media.

Instead, pedestrian Pinoys and the big numbers of ‘Marites-es’ enjoy salivating on entertainment ‘chismis’ and blind items that are sensationalized by vloggers in various social media platforms.

Pinoys should appreciate what and how Israel came to be.

We should “envy” them in a positive fashion.

Israel has outlasted four huge tyranical empires that brutally persecuted and colonized it through the centuries. They no longer have any fears to detract and deter them.

Congratulations to Israel on its 75th independence anniversary!

SHALOM! (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!