Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):
DECEMBER 22, 1856
Father Jose Algue, S.J. (December 22, 1856 - May 27, 1930), a meteorologist, world renowned scientist, inventor, and a Jesuit missionary, was born in Manresa, Spain.
He studied in Spanish schools and entered the Jesuits on July 17, 1871. He was sent to Toulouse, France and later continued his studies in humanities in 1878 at the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Veruela in Zaragoza.
After seven years, he moved to Tortosa to finish his studies. In 1889, he accompanied Fr. Federico Faura to Italy and France to get a scientific equipment for the Manila Observatory.
They toured observatories in the United States, Europe and Cuba. Both of them arrived in the Philippines on February 3, 1894.
He published “Baguios o ciclones filipinos: Estudio teorico-practico" in 1894 which was a pioneering account of Philippine climate and storms and was a scientific landmark in the Philippines.
The English version was published in 1904 as "Cyclones of the Far East." He served as a director of the Manila Observatory and founded the Weather Bureau.
In 1897, Fr. Algue invented the barocyclonometer, which could foretell storms in the Philippines and Asia.
During the American occupation, he and the Manila Observatory were recognized as assets.
The Philippine Weather Service was established with him as the first director.
He published in 1900 the most up to date and complete atlas of the Philippines.
Under him, the Weather Bureau provided the first systematized warning system of typhoons and cyclones.
He was responsible for 159 weather stations and 2 magnetic and seismic stations.
On May 22, 1901, the Manila Observatory became the Philippine Weather Bureau by Act No. 131 of the Philippine Commission. On December 8, 1972, it was replaced by PAGASA by Presidential Decree No. 78. Fr. Algue died in Spain on May 27, 1930.
(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved
Photo credit: wikipediao
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment