DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur — A strong-motion monitoring station at Davao del Sur State College is generating earthquake data that engineers can use to design safer buildings and structures, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said during the 2026 Regional Science and Technology Week in the Davao Region.
The station, operated by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS), measures ground acceleration during earthquakes, providing information on how strongly the ground moves. The data can help engineers account for local seismic conditions when designing structures.
“The stations are designed to be located depending on the purpose. The purpose of the strong motion sensor is to record waveform data for earthquakes in cities like Digos, because these are used for designing buildings and structures,” DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said during a press conference.
DOST-PHIVOLCS Director Teresito A. Bacolcol explained that strong-motion sensors serve a different purpose from conventional seismic stations, which help determine an earthquake’s location and epicenter.
“Engineers will be able to use this [information] when they design a building, to know the expected ground acceleration so they can design a building in response to that,” Bacolcol said.
Strong-motion monitoring also supports the rapid detection and assessment of significant earthquakes. Data from monitoring stations can contribute to tsunami monitoring and warning, although the placement of instruments depends on their intended function and the conditions needed for reliable measurements.
The Digos station is housed on the Davao del Sur State College (DSSC) campus. Under an agreement with DOST, the college provided a 4-by-4-meter site, an electrical connection, monthly electricity costs and a project monitoring team. DOST-PHIVOLCS supplied the monitoring equipment and technical support.
Solidum said the agency works with local government units, academic institutions and other partners that can provide suitable sites for monitoring equipment.
The Philippines has 130 seismic stations deployed nationwide, Bacolcol said. DOST-PHIVOLCS plans to install another 300 over five years, beginning in 2027, under its modernization program.
During the project visit, DSSC Research Development and Innovation Director Cherry Ann P. Roxas said the initiative would strengthen earthquake monitoring, generate data for research and education, and support disaster risk reduction across the region.
“It demonstrates how DSSC contributes to building safer, better informed, and more disaster-resilient communities through science and technology,” Roxas said.
The station was among the projects visited by Solidum during the Regional Science and Technology Week and the Handa Pilipinas culmination in the Davao Region, held Oct. 15-17, 2026.
The installation is part of DSSC’s broader science and technology initiatives undertaken in partnership with DOST through its regional office in Davao. -- Claire Bernadette A. Mondares, DOST-STII
