He said the DoST is getting the grant through a memorandum of agreement (MoA) it had entered into Thursday with the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) of the Kingdom of Norway. The MoA signing was led by DoST Secretary Mario Montejo and Norwegian Ambassador Knut Solem.

Asked why the Norweigan government took the initiative of giving the grant, Liboro said it must have taken note of the country’s effective monitoring of typhoon Juan from the time that it entered its area of responsibility.

“I think Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration) now is reaping the gains of its effective performance during the last typhoon that hit the country. Now, the people have taken notice [of it], even the foreign institution,” Liboro said.

International institutions hardly relied on PAGASA’s forecast in the past as many had found it to be inaccurate. But when typhoon “Juan” hit the country in September as accurately predicted by PAGASA, international weather and news entities, including the US-based Cable News Network (CNN) started adopting its weather bulletins, which were signed, for the first time in the history, by the DoST chief himself.

It was gathered that Montejo had a direct hand in PAGASA’s typhoon monitoring even before “Juan” could enter the country to ravage the northern part of Luzon.

Liboro said the grant would certainly help a great deal in improving the flood forecasting and early warning capability of PAGASA, especially in the Cagayan river basin and the Magat Dam operations.

“This will help reduce the loss of lives and damage to properties during floods brought about by heavy rains.

According to the MoA, the 100.7-million Norwegian krone project will help restore the telecommunication system and rehabilitate the monitoring facilities of the existing flood forecasting and warning system and the flood forecasting and warning system for dam operations. The MoA also covers the installation of additional monitoring stations.

DoST and NVE also agreed to jointly conduct research on an integrated weather and flood forecasting system; establish a decision support system; and conduct training and capacity building activities, as well as intensive public information drives and campaigns for stakeholders and the public.

“DoST fully supports the continued enhancement and strengthening of PAGASA’S flood forecasting capability through the continued upgrading of its existing observing equipment and facilities, including the Magat Dam Flood Forecasting and Warning System. This will help improve the issuance of timely and accurate flood forecasts and warnings particularly in the Cagayan river basin, and will bring about a more effective operation of the Magat Dam spillway for the safety of the communities in the downstream area,” Montejo said.

Meanwhile, NVE International Affairs Manager Kjell Repp was glad at the joint undertaking between Norway and the Philippines. He said that the project is a great opportunity to learn the expertise and technology of each country. “With climate change on the rise, we (Norwegians) might have a similar situation in the future,” he said.

Margie Bautista, chief of PAGASA’s Hydro Meteorological Data Application of the Hydrometeorology Division, said that Cagayan Valley, specifically in the province of Isabela, recently experienced a 12.7 meters of flood water due to the tail of cold front. It is the highest recorded water level rise in the region after more than two decades. Previous records posted a 12.5-meter rise during a typhoon.

Bautista said that with the implementation of this project, new communication link between the Magat-Tuguegarao flood forecasting stations will be established. Before, only the PAGASA central office and the Tuguegarao station had existing link that relays important hydrometerological data.

Gabriel Mabutas, Manila Bulletin