“BOHOL DRRM is advanced and organized,” remarked former Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Philippine Office Chief Representative now CEO of reaple, Inc. Sasaki Takahiro in a discussion with Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer (PDRRMO) Anthony Damalerio.
Takahiro, who had been in the province in the aftermath of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2013 to extend the assistance of Japan to earthquake-affected families, remarked on the notable developments in DRRM for the province since then.
Along with COO Kominami Minako and Spectee COO Negoro Satoshi and staff Kobayashi Kaori, he visited the command center at the Camp Bernido Grounds to introduce Spectee Pro – an Artificial Intelligence (AI) disaster and crisis management solutions supported by JICA.
The group earlier met with Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte, together with Governor’s Office Chief of staff Atty. Filipina Asoy-Piollo, Board Member Tomas Abapo at the Capitol to pitch the AI technology that utilizes social media data integrated with government and business facilities to visualize crises, making disaster and risk reduction management and response efficient and effective.
Caberte expressed excitement at the prospect of including the SMEs sector in DRRM initiatives as she shared challenges in data collection in the sector for affectation whenever risks and hazards take place.
The company also co-hosted a seminar with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Cebu on March 2 to introduce the technology to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) under a feasibility project on a real-time crisis management system in partnership with JICA.
Spectee Pro is a disaster-prevention and risk-management solution that enables decision-making by quickly and accurately “visualizing” disaster- and risk-related information based on big data analysis using AI.
It collects information from real-time social media postings to weather forecasts, river conditions, and traffic data of people and things. The technology facilitates prompt decision making and action to minimize the damages while also ensuring the safety of workers engaged in disaster response. Damalerio said they will present the proposal to the PDRRM Council in an upcoming meeting, to push for support as it complements ongoing initiatives that will further expand the services of the office. (PIMO/LMS)
