GMA’s ‘IM Ready’ lifestyle

MANILA, Philippines - GMA Network chairman and CEO lawyer Felipe Gozon urged the public to “make preparedness a part of everybody’s lifestyle” during the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), among partners of the one-stop shop for public safety information, the GMA News’ IM READY Public Service Portal last Jan. 10.

“Disasters,” Gozon emphasized, “can overwhelm even the best-prepared countries like Japan and the United States.” And unfortunately, if what climate change experts say turn out to be true, citizens of the world will have more of the unexpected and “never befores” as far as natural calamities are concerned.

The IM Ready Public Service Portal seeks to empower ordinary Filipinos to make life-changing decisions to keep safe.

“As a media organization, we believe we have a responsibility to do more than just raise awareness of what’s going on and what will likely happen. To be more relevant, we need to empower people not only to respond better to disaster and emergency situations but adapt a way of life that will prepare them for the worst. So now more than ever, preparedness is the name of the game,” Gozon said.

Service partners lauded the move not only as timely and relevant but ground-breaking.

“GMA Network is proud to partner with like-minded organizations which are not only introducing but continuously evolving their services to better respond, especially during emergency situations,” Gozon said, adding that with Metro Manila Development Authority, Department of Science and Technology PAGASA/PROJECT NOAH, Department of Transportation and Communications, Metro Rail Transit and Philippine National Railways, the IM Ready Public Service Portal is destined to be a go-to site for the public.

Also present during the event were GMA Network First VP for Regional TV and head of Expansion and Production Services for News and Public Affairs Rikki Escudero; GMA VP for Multimedia Journalism Howie Severino; GMA Weather’s resident meteorologist Nathaniel “Mang Tani” Cruz; consultant for Online Strategy and News Branding Sheila Paras; and UP Prof. and IM Ready Portal consultant CP David.

The portal will feature real-time updates on weather and traffic situations in the metro, basic information on fares, maps and routes, and class suspensions.

GMA also partnered with Google, which recently acquired the community-based traffic application Waze that is regarded as a game changer for traffic and disaster and risk management. Using Waze, the IM Ready Portal can get relevant up-to-the minute crowd-sourced information.