DOST VI joins campaign to achieve disaster resilience

The Department of Science and Technology Region VI (DOST VI) took part in the NATIONAL DISASTER RESILIENCE MONTH: Kick-off Ceremony and Static Display of Rescue Equipment and IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) Materials at SM City Iloilo’s Northpoint Activity Center.

Representing the agency was Dr. Naomi Cossette R. Luis, the newly-appointed Assistant Regional Director for Technical Operations. Also present were Disaster Risk Reduction Management Unit (DRRMU) Head Ryan Vilmor J. Dumpit and DRRMU staff, Christian James C. Jandayran.

In her support message during the activity, Dr. Luis highlighted the various DOST programs relating to Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation – many of which were conceived as early as 2011 – which include Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazard), Hazard Hunter, Hydromet Projects, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) Mapping, Bantay Panahon, and Flood Alerting System.

Moreover, a significant project by the DOST VI, the Safe, Swift, and Smart Passage (S-PaSS), was emphasized due to yielding safer travel protocols in light of the pandemic.

In addition, the agency is developing an online platform dubbed Project SIGNAL (Strategic Incident Georeferencing for Nationwide ALertness) to facilitate faster emergency response operations and incident reporting.  The platform features a monitoring dashboard, notification, detailed information, response, resolution, and archives of the reported incident.  Now in its piloting stage, DOST VI forged an initial partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) through an agreement signed by the three agencies on June 22 during its soft launching.  It will soon be expanded to include other agencies involved in DRRM. (KJRGagajena/DOSTVI-KMU)