PLDT Enterprise and Smart Communications (Smart) have teamed up with People in Need (PIN), a global humanitarian organization, to help make Mindanao a safer place.
The partnership underlines a shared commitment in harnessing innovative technology to boost disaster preparedness and response in Mindanao, focusing on the Strengthening Resilience Through Early Action and Impact Mitigation (STREAM) project.
The STREAM project, funded by the GSMA Innovation Fund for Anticipatory Humanitarian Action and supported by the UK International Development from the UK government, aims to revolutionize local impact forecasting and early warning systems in 12 municipalities across the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Occidental, Maguindanao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur in Mindanao.
These areas, identified as high-risk for flooding, will benefit from the integration of PLDT and Smart’s advanced Smart Internet of Things (IoT) SIM and Smart Messaging Suite.
“Our partnership with People in Need is more than just a technological endeavor; it’s a commitment to safeguarding communities and empowering them with the tools they need to mitigate the impact of natural calamities,” Roberto W. Suzon, PLDT Enterprise Corporate Relationship Business head for Northern Mindanao said.
“By leveraging PLDT’s reliable fiber connectivity and Smart’s cutting-edge solutions, we are setting a new standard in disaster preparedness and resilience,” he added.
The Smart IoT SIMs remotely monitors water levels in flood-prone areas, ensuring timely data transmission to PIN servers for accurate forecasting. The Smart Messaging Suite play a crucial role in disseminating vital information and evacuation alerts to vulnerable communities, enhancing their capacity to respond effectively to imminent threats.
“With the support of PLDT Enterprise and Smart, we are poised to make a significant impact on the lives of those in the most at-risk communities in Mindanao,” Alfred Mark Rosete, Early Warning Systems (EWS) program manager for People in Need, said.
“The STREAM project embodies our vision of a world where technology and innovation go hand in hand with humanitarian efforts to build a safer, more resilient future for all,” he said.
Smart also recently engaged with PIN during the GSMA’s Humanitarian Connectivity Charter (HCC) Asia-Pacific workshop held in Clark, Pampanga, attended by ASEAN delegates. Smart was among the first operators in the world to adopt the principles of the HCC when it was launched in 2015.
The HCC is a set of principles and best practices reached collaboratively between mobile network operators on how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a sudden onset emergency.
