DOST, IBM put up disaster preparedness center

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and IBM today unveiled a new intelligent operations center to provide a central point of command for disaster management. The new center will help the Philippine government better manage ongoing and future disaster response and recovery efforts following Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Immediately following the typhoon, IBM donated an impact grant of technology and services. As part of the grant, IBM, in collaboration with trusted business partners, delivered the IBM Intelligent Operations Center (IOC) with an Integrated Communications System (ICS) that will facilitate better and more coordinated disaster management efforts with the DOST and across various government agencies.

The integrated solution will pull data from disparate sources into a common view, providing emergency managers with critical information such as; advance warning for extreme weather events, feedback from first responders on the number of casualties and affected families, condition of buildings, roads, and infrastructure.  These distributed data sources provide analytics and scenario planning to streamline and integrate the government’s response to disasters. In addition, the solution will enable advanced communications for first responders and emergency personnel.  

“Building on a trusted, long term relationship between IBM and our National Government, IBM acted quickly to mobilize and launch an Impact Grant with two critical solutions: an Intelligent Operations Center for Emergency Management and an Integrated Communications System,” said Science Secretary Mario Montejo. 

“IBM’s grant comes with two years of support, including an IBM-led transition team. This will ensure that we have the skills and expertise needed to fully maximize the power of this new technology to make Filipinos safer and more resilient to hazards such as Yolanda.”

“In the wake of Typhoon Yolanda, IBM teams in the US and Philippines recognized both the enormity of the crisis and the opportunity to provide cutting edge technology,” said Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, president and country general manager, IBM Philippines.

“These solutions will address the government’s need for better decision-making support and at the same time, provide a starting point to better manage future responses.”

The new facility is located in the Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) building, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.