Disaster alert project benefits Southern Leyte

TEN towns and a city in Southern Leyte have been using the Infoboard service of Smart Communications Inc. since March as part of a disaster alert project funded by the World Bank (WB) and implemented by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

Smart, WB and PBSP officials interacted with officials of barangays Soro-Soro, Lumas, Gawisan and Mambajao in Maasin City on the use of SMS to send and receive information from the Provincial Disaster Management and Maasin Infoboard Administration (MIA) that would help them prepare for any weather disturbance.

Soro-Soro barangay captain Mario Ocer said that in the event of a storm, they would receive text messages informing them of its position, strength or any other development. Should the storm threaten Leyte, barangays near coastlines like Mambajao deploy officers to go around and alert residents or even evacuate them.

Gawisan barangay captain Matilde Superu said that when a strong quake hit Japan and sent tsunami waves to several countries like the Philippines in March, they got updates via Smart’s Infoboard as well.

Christopher Pablo, World Bank (WB) senior operations officer, said that WB puts a lot of emphasis on disaster risk management and that the project in the Philippines is part of a bigger program to mainstream disaster risk response.

The project, which won a US$200,000 grant during the 2009 Development Marketplace Competition organized by the World Bank, was developed by the PBSP with Smart.

Pablo said WB is interested in learning how the project works and how it can be improved.

Jason Calva, PBSP project manager in Southern Leyte, said the Infoboard is already used in five barangays of 50 from the pilot towns and city. Earlier this year, Smart trained representatives of the 50 barangays on how to use the service.

The information system is being piloted in Southern Leyte because the province is susceptible to calamities like heavy rains, floods, and landslides, Calva said.