Cebu municipality boosts disaster preparedness with PLDT's Smart Infocast

Residents of the coastal town of San Remigio in Cebu will now benefit from the services of Smart Infocast, a communications solution by PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications.

Smart Infocast is a web-based platform that offers various SMS facilities catering to the needs of an organization.

The system will enable San Remigio authorities to send news broadcasts, weather bulletins, and other critical information to residents via text message, making it an effective emergency communications solution. It also allows registered subscribers to send reports or feedback to the system administrator.

One of the areas badly hit by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in November 2013, San Remigio is a third-class municipality with over 57,000 residents in 27 barangays. With its pristine beaches and rich marine sanctuaries, San Remigio is one of the most visited towns in Central Visayas despite being three hours away from Cebu City, based on Department of Tourism tourist arrivals data.

Smart Infocast has boosted the communication efforts of the institutions where it has been implemented, among them local government units, government agencies, and other organizations.

Representatives from Smart and the San Remigio local government unit and disaster risk reduction and management office pose for photos during the turnover of Smart Infocast to the municipality.

By providing a means to disseminate timely messages to the public, Infocast empowers the community to strengthen its communication and disaster preparedness efforts, according to Atty. Maria Jane Paredes, public affairs head at Smart.

Paredes attended the launching ceremony at the San Remigio social hall together with representatives from the municipal office, the disaster risk reduction and management office, and Smart.

Smart had earlier provided connectivity support for San Remigio’s movable and deployable resource unit (MDRU), which was donated to the municipality through the initiative of the Japanese and Philippine governments. An MDRU is a portable communications system that can provide emergency call, text and internet services in disaster-stricken areas.

Under its #SafePH advocacy, Smart promotes the use of technology to help mitigate disaster risk in communities. The company has developed other preparedness programs and solutions, such as the Emergency Cell Broadcast System (ECBS); the Batingaw emergency app; and the TNT Tropang Ready youth readiness caravans, among other projects, in its efforts to reduce vulnerabilities.