THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development inked a partnership agreement with the Ateneo de Manila University to launch a website on flood and drought.

The Philippine Groundwater Outlook website seeks to “mitigate the adverse impacts of flood and drought in selected areas in the country.”

Dr. Ma. Aileen Leah G. Guzman led the PhiGO project in partnership with Dr. Andrew Barkwith of the British Geological Survey.

DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said that the two agencies developed a support system monitoring the groundwater quality.

The PhiGO came up with a web-based tool that contains information about well sites, the daily reading of groundwater quality and quantity data, and a concise description of the parameters collected by the groundwater monitoring system.

Soon, residents of Iloilo City and Pampanga will have access to the real-time monitoring of groundwater resources.

“In a few clicks, residents of Iloilo City and Pampanga can have instant access to the automated and real-time monitoring of groundwater resources in their areas which were recognized as part of the nine highly urbanized water critical cities,” De la Peña said.