DOST urges public to sync all watches to PST for the New Year’s Eve countdown

By Joy M. Lazcano

S&T Media Service, STII

With a few more days left before the year ends, the Department of Science and Technology urges the Filipinos to sync all time pieces with the Philippine Standard Time (PST) in celebrating the New Year’s Eve countdown.

            Various TV networks and cities around the country hold similar New Year’s Eve celebration culminating with the traditional midnight countdown. 

            According to DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo, it is imperative that organizers of various New Year’s Eve countdown should refer to a standard time which is the PST so that the whole nation can simultaneously celebrate the coming of the new year.

            Just this year, DOST through its attached agencies such as the Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII), and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) launched Juan Time, a national advocacy campaigning for the synchronization of all time pieces with the PST in all government and private offices.

 DOST-PAGASA, being the designated official time keeper by virtue of the Batas Pambansa Blg. 8 Sec.6., is equipped with the timing device system consisting of a rubidium atomic clock, and a Global Positioning System receiver that precisely adjust PST accordingly.

            The campaign was received by many government institutions including the Department of Education which came with a Department Order no. 86 urging all offices and schools under DepEd to synchronize all time pieces to the PST.

            Recently, the City Government of San Pablo and the DOST Regional Office in Davao adopted the campaign while private companies have already expressed interest.

“We hope that the whole nation will join and synchronize our watches and other time pieces with the PST so we can all celebrate the New Year’s Eve countdown as one nation.”