The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-Phivolcs) are set to sign an accord on Friday to enhance the capacity of the energy sector in determining the areas of concern for earthquake incidents, using a state-of-the-art software dubbed as Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (Redas).
The Redas is a tool for emergency preparedness, contingency planning and mainstreaming disaster-risk reduction on adverse effects of earthquake.
The use of Redas will benefit the energy sector by having a near real-time simulated earthquake-hazard information that can help assess the situation on the ground.
The DOE, for its part, will pursue Redas training to support and strengthen the disaster-management capabilities of the energy sector.
The signing of the memorandum agreement between DOE-Phivolcs is entitled “Capacity Enhancement of the Energy Sector on Hazard, Risk Assessment and Exposure Database Development Through the Use of the Redas Software.”
The partnership of the DOE and DOST-Phivolcs is in line with the recently signed Department Circular 2018-01-0001, or the “Adoption of Energy Resiliency in the Planning and Programming of the Energy Sector to Mitigate Potential Impacts of Disasters,” also known as the Energy Resiliency Policy.
Under the said policy, a task force on energy resiliency was created to oversee the implementation of the DOE circular. The task force, which will be headed by the DOE, will ensure that government agencies and private institutions are prepared for the development and adoption of their respective resiliency programs.
Other members of the task force include the National Electrification Administration, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, National Power Corp., National Transmission Corp., Philippine National Oil Co. and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.
“Ensuring resiliency energy infrastructure—the ability to restore and sustain availability and accessibility of energy in the most timely and efficient manner, in the aftermath of natural and man-made disasters—is now more pronounced, and there is a need to institutionalize the development, promotion and implementation of a resiliency compliance plan to strengthen the capacity, safety culture and disaster preparedness and response capability of the energy sector,” the circular stated.
