Smart, Sun, and TNT subscribers can now request for relief and rescue assistance via SMS with Agos SMS service made possible by Smart, Voyager, and Rappler. In photo are (from left to right) Move.PH Executive Director Rupert Ambil II, Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center Executive Director Dr. Reena Estuar, Rappler Founder and CEO Maria Ressa, Smart VP for Community Partnerships Darwin Flores, and Nic Santos of Chikka.
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SEARCH and rescue or relief assistance during disasters can now be obtained by just sending a simple text message. This is made possible by the partnership forged by Smart Communications (Smart), Voyager Innovations, and Rappler for Project Agos, an initiative that uses mobile and web technologies, plus social media, to mobilize different sectors of society and ordinary citizens during emergencies and disasters.

“Smart supports Project Agos via our SMS service as part of our commitment to improving the efficiency of emergency communications in the country,” said Smart Public Affairs Group Head Ramon R. Isberto. “The SMS service is a fast and convenient way for Filipinos to call for help,” Isberto added.

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“It is an honor for us to be part of Agos, developing the mission critical SMS components of the platform. We shall now wield our mobile devices to aid victims and those in the frontline in times of calamities. Voyager, our innovations hub, shall continue to explore ways to harness the new digital technologies that must come to our aid during disasters,” shared Chito Bustamante, Head of Chikka, now under the wings of Voyager Innovations, the digital unit of PLDT – Smart.

To avail of the service, which is available for Smart, TNT, and Sun subscribers, users would only have to send information using any of the following keywords to 2929: RESCUEPH to report rescue assistance; RELIEFPH to request for relief; FINDPH to report missing persons; FLOODPH to report flooded areas; MOVEPH to volunteer for disaster response; and SAFENOW to report that survivors are safe.

The first three messages sent are free while succeeding texts will be charged P2.50.

Crowd-sourced information gathered via Project Agos SMS service is validated by the Rappler team and volunteers. Reports that need action are then passed on to relevant government agencies.

Rappler’s Project Agos and Ateneo’s eBayanihan are about to merge into one platform, which will be known as Agos, powered by eBayanihan.

Disaster communications summit

Smart launched the Agos SMS service in Baguio last March 3 as part of the Cordillera and Autonomous Region (CAR) disaster communications summit, the 3rdleg of the regional meetings being organized by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and supported by Smart.

Dubbed as ICT Bayanihan, these regional meetings attended by private and public agencies aim to establish disaster communication protocols and institutionalize rapid emergency telecommunication teams (RETT) to lead immediate response and support when there are disasters.

CAR is the first region in Luzon to hold the disaster communications summit. The first two conferences, which were both supported by Smart as well, were held last year in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro for Regions 7 and 10, respectively.

Apart from co-organizing the regional communication summits, Smart also developed the Batingaw app for OCD-NDRRMC. The Batingaw mobile app, which can be downloaded for free at Google Play Store and Apple App Store, is a handy resource and reporting tool for nationwide disaster management.

An active partner for disaster communications, Smart has also been consistent in providing immediate libreng tawag services to areas affected by disasters. Furthermore, Smart offers a web-based disaster communications solution called Smart Infocast, which has been proven effective in disseminating weather forecasts and warnings.

All these efforts, services, and innovations to help improve communications for humanitarian emergencies are part of Smart’s commitment to the GSMA Humanitarian Connectivity Charter.

Smart as an organization has embraced preparedness, and has been aggressively promoting the culture of preparedness to its partner organizations under its #SafePH program. More than just providing communications as relief during disasters, Smart has also taken an active role in strengthening the capacity of highisk communities to prepare for, manage, and recover from the impact of disasters. To know more about Smart’s preparedness initiatives, visit www.smart.com.ph/SafePH[END]              

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