SoLeyte PDRRMC SMS technology system enhanced

SoLeyte PDRRMC SMS technology system enhanced
By R.G. Cadavos
Philippine Information Agency
October 25, 2011

In a meeting held Wednesday at the Provincial Governor’s Office, presiding officer Jason Calva urged each member of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) and concerned warning agencies to support the Strengthening Disaster Preparedness of Southern Leyte Thru SMS Technology project that focused more in communications to better prepare the communities before, during and after any disaster through free broadcast.

It can be remembered that each member were required to regularly make advisories or incident reports for broadcast using the short message system (SMS) Technology that started last March 2011 yet.

The infoboard system project was in coordination with the World Bank, Smart Communications and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in a Memorandum of Agreement signed with the Provincial Government through Gov. Damian G. Mercado.

“The advisory or any important incident report will be sent to Provincial Infoboard Administrator for broadcast,” Calva, the Project Consultant disclosed, pushing all concerned agencies to report any important incident that happened in each are of concern so that response will be acted accordingly.

The contents of the broadcast are coming from the reports, either advisory or incidents, from all concerned warning agencies, especially from the members of the PDRRMC, Calva revealed. “This will make the operations in full blast,” he said.

He further bared that all reports will be properly documented, validated and authorized by the concerned department head to avoid misinformation or misguidance , especially during calamities.

“The project with Smart and PBSP will end next year, totaling to P3 million for the SL Menu via SMS technology, nobody from the Smart and PBSP will be working with us anymore since everything will be turned-over to the provincial government,” Calva clarified during the meeting participated by the members of the PDRRMC.

Meanwhile, Smart Communications representative Charie Yanella discussed the flow of the Provincial Disaster Management Council-Southern Leyte Menu for the infoboard technology. These include advisories, feedback, and hotline numbers from the provincial offices, including members of the PDRRMC and other priority contacts, the general information site, among other information.