Manila Observatory

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The Manila Observatory (originally the Observatorio Meteorologico del Ateneo Municipal de Manila, and later the Observatorio Meteorologico de Manila) is a non-profit research institute housed in the campus of the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines. Founded in 1865 by the Jesuits, it has served many purposes over the years including weather forecasting and earthquake research. Today it continues to carry out research in seismic and geomagnetic phenomena as well as radio and solar physics.

1 History
2 Organizational Structure and Activities
3 Scholastics of the Observatory
4 References
5 Links

[edit] History

The establishment of the observatory originated from the article published in Diario de Manila by Father Jaime Nonell, a Jesuit, which described observations of the typhoon of September 1865 done by Father Francisco Colina, another Jesuit. The treatise attracted the attention of the public who asked the Superior Juan Vidal for the observations to be continued. There was initially hesitation on the part of the Jesuits due to the primitive instruments available but later agreed when the needed instrument, the Secchi Universal Meteorograph, was promised to be purchased from Vatican.^[1]

Thus began the systemic observation of the Philippine weather led by a Scholastic, Father Federico Faura. It started issuing warnings on typhoons in 1879. Earthquake observations by the observatory started the next year. The Spanish government finally recognized the observatory as the official institution for weather forecasting in the Philippines in 1884. In 1885, it started its time service; its seismology section put up in 1887 while astronomical studies began 1899.^[1]

During the American period, realizing the vitality of the observatory, it was established by the colonial government in 1901 as the Philippine Weather Bureau. The bureau continued its works expanding its fields of works to include meteorology, astronomy, and geomagnetism.^[1]Works of the bureau was interrupted by the Second World War. During the Battle of Manila Bay, all of the instruments and important documents of the bureau were completely destroyed. It thus ceased to function as a specific government agency was established for the same purpose.^[1]The observatory began again its operation in 1951 in Baguio mainly for studies on seismology and ionosphere. It was later transferred in 1963 to the Loyola Heights campus of the Ateneo de Manila University where it continues its studies on seismology, geomagnetism, and radio physics among other.^[1]

[edit] Organizational Structure and Activities

The observatory is mainly composed of two units: the administration and the research unit.

Administration is primarily composed of:
1) General Administration
2) Accounting
3) Human Resource and
4) Physical Facilities and Supplies.^[2]

Their Research programs include:
1) Climate Change Assistance
2) Geomatics for Environment and Development
3) Instrumentation and Technology
4) Regional Climate Systems
5) Solid Earth Dynamics
6) Urban Air Quality and
7) Special Research Projects.^[2]

The observatory's recent Special Research Projects are:
1) Climate Change Adaptation – Disaster Risk Management and
2) Co-benefits of Climate Change Mitigation.^[2]

[edit] Scholastics of the Observatory

The observatory was found by the Scholastics and the Manila Observatory was one of the institutions to which they could possible be sent for mission. A prerequisite for such a mission was their formation in the Society. Scholastics being assigned to the observatory came from different Provinces but some Scholastics from the Ateneo de Manila also worked part-time to the observatory. Listed below are some of the identified of the scholastics designated to the Manila Observatory. Also indicated were the years when some of them return to the observatory as well as the years of their passing away.^[3]

Scholastic	Start	End	Field	Return	End	Death
Colina, Francisco	1865	1867	meteorology			1893
Nonell, Jaime	1865	1870	meteorology			1922
Ricart, Juan	1868	1870	astronomy			1915
Faura, Federico	1866	1871	meteorology	1878	1897	1897
Doyle, Juan	1885	1891	geomagnetism	1896	1901	1918
Cirera, Ricardo	1888	1894	geomagnetism			1932
Saderra-Maso, Miguel	1890	1896	seismology	1901	1932	1939
Tsuchihachi, Yachita	1894	1895	geomagnetism			1965
Coronas, Jose	1894	1900	meteorology	1907	1931	1938
Sola, Marcial	1897	1903	seismology			1960
Stanton, William	1901	1904	entomology			1910
Brown, Robert	1902	1906	entomology	1912	1915	1947
McGeary, James	1904	1906	astronomy			1945
Doucette, Bernard	1925	1927	meteorology	1933	1974	1974
Welch, Leo	1930	1932	astronomy			1990
Heyden, Frank	1931	1934	astronomy	1971	1991	1991
Guzman, Pablo	1942	1943	seismology