The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to launch a new digital initiative that features a real-time database for local government units’ (LGUs) requests for resource augmentation in times of disasters, an agency official said on Thursday (May 29).
Director Maria Isabel Lanada of the Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB) said the project will be addressing delays and inconveniences tied with the manual process employed by LGUs in requesting resource augmentation.
“Isa po sa mga challenges natin tuwing may disaster is yung uploading ng request ng mga LGUs for augmentation at yung record ng affected families dahil minsan naka-pen and paper pa po yung proseso nila. So, sa atin po sa Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) ay nasa proseso na rin kami ng pagtitiyak na magiging digitalize ito,” Director Lanada told reporters at the Thursday Media Forum.
Director Lanada pointed out that the initiative is anchored on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s call for the digitalization of government process which Secretary Rex Gatchalian has initiated for almost all DSWD programs and projects.
While the LGUs serve as frontline disaster responders in times of calamities, the DSWD — as part of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) — is mandated to augment the resources of LGUs to ensure that they can efficiently respond to the needs of disaster-hit communities.
The DRMB director explained to reporters that the project will equip LGUs with a faster way to input information relative to their request for augmentation and families affected in their area of jurisdiction.
“Dito sa platform na ito, may window na pwede silang maging viewer or editor ng window–- para sa LGUs. Pwede silang mag upload ng request and then indicate yung number ng affected families sa DROMIC natin anytime and anywhere,” Director Lanada said.
The platform will also serve as an ‘omnipresent eye’ to ensure that timely actions are taken by both the DSWD and local disaster responders.
“So, makikita rin namin yan sa cellphone kung may mga regional offices na nag-validate na or kung hindi pa, tatawagan yan ng command center natin. 24/7 may nagma-man ng ating command center at anytime makikita natin na buong Pilipinas ano yung disaster events na nangyayari,” Director Lanada pointed out.
Director Lanada expressed optimism that the initiative would yield positive results in the country’s continuous effort to better its year-round disaster response efforts.
“We are looking to launch it in July, in time for the National Disaster Resilience Month Celebration,” Director Lanada said. (LSJ)