By Nanette Guadalquiver
BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Occidental Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) has installed solar-powered very high frequency (VHF) base radio sets in all eight critical watersheds across the province.
The radio communication infrastructure is set up in the areas of Ilog-Hilabangan, Southern Cauayan, Daat, Pangiplan, Himoga-an, Sipalay and Imbang-Malogo with one unit each, as well as in Pangiplan and Bago, with two units each.
“This communication device is needed to send real-time data from remote places which have limited or without mobile phone signals. Using solar-powered base radios, equipped with antennas and accessories, we can easily monitor the situation in these areas,” program-in-charge Luisa Tutor told the Philippine News Agency on Friday.
Tutor said the province partnered with the concerned local government units and PEMO-assisted people’s organizations (POs) in the deployment of the radio communication infrastructure in the watershed areas.
“The initiative shows the commitment of the province to sustainable environmental stewardship among its assisted POs,” she said.
According to the PEMO briefer, the introduction of radio communication infrastructure is a significant stride in enhancing watershed management capabilities as it highlights the pivotal role of modern technology in safeguarding the natural heritage of Negros Occidental.
“These radios play an indispensable role in remote monitoring, emergency response coordination, outreach programs, adaptive management practices and communication facilitation in challenging environments,” it said.
It added “watershed management is paramount for the preservation of natural resources, necessitating vigilant monitoring of crucial parameters such as water volume, quality, weather patterns, and phenomena like El Niño, alongside readiness for potential disastrous events.” (PNA)
