By Perfecto T. Raymunfo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — The DANAS Project of the DOST-PHIVOLCS was launched here at the Phivolcs Auditorium on Monday (Dec. 9).
The project documented eyewitness accounts of significant earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions using local languages in the Philippines.
The DANAS Project initiative will contribute to a locally contextualized and culturally sensitive science and risk communication.
PHIVOLCS Dir. Teresito C. Bacolcol said that the gathering is the continuation of the launching of the DANAS Project: Earthquake, Tsunami and Volcano Disaster Narratives for an Experiential Knowledge-based Science Communication.
Dr. Bacocol said that the Sourcebooks will also be uploaded on the website of PHIVOLCS.
PHIVOLCS Deputy Dir. Ma. Mylene M. Villegas said that last week of November the project launching was launched in Cagayan De Oro City.
Dr. Villegas added that the teachers and the disaster risk and management officers are the initial targets for the information education communication of the Sourcebooks.
As geologists, they have realized the importance of the use of local languages in science.
The traditional way of developing information materials was in English then translated to Filipino-Tagalog then to local languages.
The project involves the direct personal experience of the people themselves in their local languages, particularly disaster narratives without the use of technical terms.
DANAS aims to create a culturally-sensitive, context-driven approach to science communication.
The DANAS Project Sourcebooks are in Tagalog and Kapampangan languages.
There are a total of six local languages such as Kapampangan, Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Cebuano, and Bicolano located in six active volcanoes in the Philippines.
There are also six Volcano Sourcebooks.
In a video message, DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr said that the DANAS Project provides solutions and innovations for the benefit of the Filipino nation.
Solidum congratulated PHIVOLCS for the successful DANAS Project Sourcebooks Launching.
The two active volcanoes in Luzon are Pinatubo, which erupted in 1991, and Taal, the latest eruption of which was in 2020.
There are 300 volcanoes in the Philippines, 24 of which are active and the rest are dormant.
Taal Volcano, Mayon Volcano and Kanlaon Volcano are now on Alert Level No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
Present were representatives from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Calabarzon (Cavite/Laguna/Batangas/Rizal/Quezon), Department of Education (DepEd)-National Capital Region (NCR), among others.
The Sourcebook in Ilocano will be launched on Jan. 14, 2025 in San Fernando City, La Union.
During the duration of the project, the scientific concept of earthquakes, tsunami has widened such as the “killer quake” of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on July 16, 1990 in Luzon.
The magnitude 6.1 earthquake on April 22, 2019, the epicenter of which was between Zambales and Pampanga provinces.
The destructive earthquakes in 1968, 1969 and 1970 prompted the crafting of the National Building Code of the Philippines.
