Infoboard as an emergency communications tool

MANILA, Philippines - Bicolanos, like most Filipinos, have always turned to the radio for information prior to and during disasters.

For broadcast journalist Pio Fernandez of DZGB-AM Legazpi, having his listeners rely on his radio program to disseminate information needed for their safety is a task he takes seriously.

Fernandez is one of the recipients of the short messaging service (SMS) blast from the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) on any information about an incoming typhoon or any other hazard that puts the safety of the public into question.

The SMS blast is done via the Infoboard, a web-based SMS solution developed by Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) to help facilitate effective, fast, and efficient dissemination of information to target communities.

“Through the years and through many disasters, our radio station has helped guide our listeners to safety based on information provided us by APSEMO, which we then ‘translate’ to be easily understood by our listeners. We get important tips from APSEMO morning, noon, and evening even when there are no disasters. These are discussed on air, and these have helped further educate our listeners on the importance of preparedness and safety during disasters,” said Fernandez.

“The Infoboard provides us with significant communication support specifically for our warning and evacuation bulletins as a means to achieve zero casualties. It allows us to disseminate timely emergency advisories and weather bulletins directly to the barangay level. It also helps us circulate reports and press releases for media updates, and public information and awareness,” said Dr. Cedric Daep, executive director of APSEMO.

“Disaster message alerts are most effective when they’re used by a disaster preparedness organization executing a preparedness plan because the messages are sent to identified individuals who have been trained in this plan and therefore understand or know the meaning of the messages being sent to them,” said Ramon R. Isberto, head of Public Affairs at Smart. “A specific concern for mobile messaging is that messages are short at only 160 characters. Without proper training, short messages can be misunderstood or misinterpreted. But with proper training even short messages can trigger life-saving action because the people who receive them know what to do,” added Isberto.

The Infoboard offers various SMS facilities with different functions and capabilities catering to the needs of a community, including customized SMS solutions, and text broadcast to pre-registered Smart and Talk ‘N Text subscribers.

It allows various government agencies such as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA), the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and the Office of Civil Defense to send free alerts to their respective disaster preparedness networks.

For instance, in preparation for Typhoon Ruby, the NDRRMC, PAGASA, the Region 8 (Tacloban) office of PIA and the provincial governments of Albay, Cebu, Southern Leyte, Bohol, and Batangas, and the city governments of Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Danao, and Malabon sent out close to a million messages for free to its disaster preparedness networks.

This increased vulnerability to disasters has prompted LGUs, government agencies and other entities involved in disaster management to embrace disaster communications as a tool to save lives.

A week before Ruby struck, about 3,000 students of Leyte Normal University (LNU) in Tacloban City received preparedness tips and updates on the typhoon’s track on their mobile phones from the school administrator.

“The Infoboard is a big help to the Archdiocese of Palo. Days before Ruby struck, we had been using the Infoboard to update the clergy about the typhoon track and weather updates. It was also a channel for us to communicate with parishes easily and faster, which is why we were able to have an initial assessment of the on-ground situation immediately after the typhoon hit,” said Fr. Chris Militante of the Archdiocese of Palo.

He said the Infoboard was also useful for their internal communication requirements. Previously, internal communications had to be sent via messenger to the various parishes.