President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged government workers on Thursday to uphold high-quality service, professionalism, and patriotism, emphasizing that no amount of funding matters without heart in public service.
President Marcos made the call as he presented the newly signed Republic Act No. 12180, which modernizes the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and establishes a Modernization Fund.
The new law allocates PhP1.25 billion annually for the first four years and PhP2 billion in the fifth year.
“Gaano man kalaki ang pondo ay mawawalan ng saysay kung walang puso at paglilingkod,” President Marcos said during the presentation of two newly enacted laws to stakeholders at the Malacañan Palace.
“Patuloy po ang pagbibigay ng suporta ng pamahalaan upang mas mapalalim ang inyong kaalaman,” the President said in his speech.
President Marcos said the modernization of PHIVOLCS, an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), intends to capacitate government personnel to respond to the needs of Filipinos during calamities like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, ensuring a better quality of life for them.
The law requires the PHIVOLCS to develop and implement a modernization program aligned with policy goals.
At the same time, President Marcos recognized the scientists, experts, and field personnel of PHIVOLCS who work around the clock to monitor disasters and calamities.
“Hindi po mapapantayan ang mga sakripisyong inialay ninyo upang matiyak ang kaligtasan ng sambayanan,” President Marcos said.
“Bagama’t araw-araw ninyong hinaharap ang panganib na kaakibat ng inyong trabaho, hindi kayo nag-aatubiling pumunta sa inyong field site—umaga man o gabi,” he added.
The Chief Executive also encouraged young Filipinos to cultivate their interest in science to become future volcanologists, scientists, and experts at the DOST or PHIVOLCS.
The new law allows PHIVOLCS to widen its monitoring networks and intensify its observation of active volcanoes.
The new law also empowers PHIVOLCS to use machine learning to speed up monitoring and reporting to the public of warnings during emergencies. |PND
