ILOILO City – The Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) here is eyeing to be the first in Western Visayas to offer Bachelor of Science in Meteorology (BS Met) course.
University president, Dr. Raul F. Muyong, said they are working on the approval of their proposal to offer the said course for Academic Year 2023-2034.
“If we have this course offering, maka-produce kita manpower nga makabulig sa aton sa Iloilo mismo because we need to understand space technology, sang ginatawag nga weather observation, and remote-sensing technologies… Makabulig kita paintindi sa mga tawo kon ano ining nagakatabu sa aton space,” said Muyong.
This goal is strengthened by the presence of the facilities such as the Iloilo Ground Receiving Station (GRS) and the Knowledge Center for Weather, Atmospherical, Astronomical and Geophysical Observations (KWAAGO). Located at the Climate Field School in Dumangas, Iloilo, both facilities were launched on March 12.
The Iloilo GRS, the first in the Visayas and the third in the country, is equipped with a 3.5-meter Earth Observation satellite tracking antenna that allows wider coverage of data captured from Diwata 1 and 2 and other satellite systems.
The facility, established through the Understanding Lightning and Thunderstorms for Extreme Weather Monitoring and Information Sharing Project (ULAT Project) and funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in collaboration with the Hokkaido University in Japan, will support project ULAT’s aim to improve short-term weather forecasts in the country by understanding weather patterns through rainfall and lighting occurrences.
The KWAAGO, on the other hand, is an educational hub for understanding space, weather observation, and remote sensing technologies and its applications. It is led by ISAT-U with the support of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 6, DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute and Dumangas local government.
Aside from being mandated by their Board of Regents to offer programs not offered by any university in the region, Muyong said they also take the opportunity to offer BS Met because of the aforementioned two facilities that will serve as their laboratory for the course.
“Maayo ini nga opportunity nga may ara school nga naga-offer sang kurso para maka-provide kita opportunity sa mga taga-iloilo nga interesado mag-take sang course,” Muyong added.
He said they are currently preparing for the approval of the Academic Council of the new curriculum.
“Sa iban nga university wala sila facility. We are very fortunate that we have this facility nga maga-support sa amon offering nga BS Met,” he added.
Muyong noted the faculty and staff are almost in place.
An ISAT-U scholar taking up BS Met at the Ateneo de Manila University helped them came up with the curriculum.
The state university is also in close coordination with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)-Visayas who is helping in training faculty.
Moreover, Muyong said they have started benchmarking with other universities offering BS Met like Bicol University and University of the Philippines-Diliman.
Also, the university is planning to have a consortium with these universities as well as with Hokkaido University.
“The curriculum is now due for presentation sa University Curriculum Committee namon and it will be presented to the Academic Council,” said Muyong.
The crafting of the proposal started in 2019 yet when the Commission on Higher Education identified the said program as one of the priority courses given the susceptibility of the Philippines to destructive meteorological phenomena.
The program is also in consonance with the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 in the area of transformation strategies that includes achievement of quality and accessible education that enhances disaster risk reduction and management mechanisms./PN
