PBBM signs PHIVOLCS modernization law

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12180, the PHIVOLCS Modernization Act, into law on April 24, 2025, to upgrade the country's capability to monitor and respond to geotectonic hazards.

The law mandates a P7-billion, five-year modernization program for the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), a service institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

This program aims to strengthen PHIVOLCS through better equipment, facilities, staffing, and research capabilities, including acquiring state-of-the-art instruments and expanding monitoring networks.

A data center meeting international standards will be established to centralize information on volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other related phenomena for the public and disaster risk reduction stakeholders.

Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda hailed the law as a "vital shield for a volcanic nation like the Philippines" and a landmark in national disaster readiness.