Grade 8 Students Visit PAGASA/PHILVOLCS

PAGASA Media Affairs Office

Last October 13, as part of their enrichment activity, the Grade 8 students of Tabernacle of Faith Christian Academy, together with their adviser Mrs. Ezra Nicomedes, went on an educational trip to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) by the Department of Science and Technology which was located at the Science Garden Complex, Agham Rd. Diliman, Quezon City.

TFCA Grade 8 students in the Planetarium (PAGASA)

They were met by officers of the media affairs who welcomed them in the department. The students were treated with an educational tour of the place, video presentations and a talk on safety and preparedness. 

They also got a chance to visit the Planetarium which was under PAGASA. The Planetarium at the Science Garden has an 88-seating capacity.  It offers an ideal setting for all kinds of cosmic educational tours, whose most important task is to give the scientific concept of the Universe to the general public, and to elementary and high school students.  This concept includes the size and content of the observed universe, its creation, history and possible future, the development of the solar system.

At PHIVOLCS

While in the vicinity, the students also got a chance to go to  the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and were greeted by “Sir Bryan” who happened to be a geologist. He gave a talk on “Volcanism” and earthquake preparedness. Volcanism, as defined by Britannica.com is any of various processes and phenomena associated with the surficial discharge of molten rock, pyroclastic fragments, or hot water and steam, including volcanoes, geysers, and fumaroles.

DOST Compound

PAGASA, one of the attached agencies of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) under its Scientific and Technical Services Institutes, is mandated to “provide protection against natural calamities and utilize scientific knowledge as an effective instrument to insure the safety, well being and economic security of all the people, and for the promotion of national progress.”  (Section 2, Statement of Policy, Presidential Decree No. 78; December 1972 as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1149; August 1977)

Grade 8 Students having their Educational Trip in DOST

PHIVOLCS is a service institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that is principally mandated to mitigate disasters that may arise from volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunami and other related geotectonic phenomena.

*sources: phivolcs.dost.gov.ph, pagasa.dost.gov.ph, britannica.com