BAGUIO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Information and Communications Technology-Cordillera (DICT-CAR) helps ensure that the Emergency Operations Center of provincial and city disaster risk reduction and management offices (DRRMOs) in the region have communication and connectivity during tropical cyclones.
DICT-CAR headed by Regional Director Reynaldo Sy is maintaining eight Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) in the PDRRMOs of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province and the DRRMOs of Tabuk City and Baguio City.
A VSAT is a small-sized earth station used in transmitting or receiving data, voice and video signals over a satellite communication network.
The DICT-CAR VSAT equipment have been very helpful in maintaining the connectivity of the different DRRM offices in the region, especially in Apayao where telecommunication systems bogged down when Typhoon Marce battered the province.
Aside from the VSAT, DICT-CAR has also the StarLink kits complete with a satellite dish and router for high-speed internet service.
One is installed at the Apayao PDRRMO while five others are prepositioned in the DICT provincial offices in Ifugao, Abra, Kalinga, Benguet and Mountain Province.
To ensure the connectivity of the local communities, the DICT-CAR is also monitoring and conducting maintenance of the 367 free wifi sites all over the region.
Of the 36 wifi sites that were affected by the previous tropical cyclones, 31 were already restored and five are ongoing restoration.
The previous tropical cyclones have not affected the GovNet system in the region which provides internet connectivity to 80 government agencies/offices.
DICT-CAR DRRM Focal Person Engr. Ana Patricia Diso provided these updates during the Cordillera Regional DRRMC Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment meeting on November 13, to look into the weather outlook and the possible effects of tropical cyclones Ofel and Pepito that have entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) right after typhoon Nika.
The DICT-CAR heads the CDRRMC Emergency Telecommunication Cluster.
Office of Civil Defense Regional Director and CRDRRMC chairperson Albert Mogol commended all the council member agencies and the local DRRM councils for their hard work and commitment in ensuring the safety of the Cordillerans, and in responding to the needs of the affected population during the past tropical cyclones.
Mogol also encouraged them to continue with the pro – active stand and heightened preparedness.
“The fight against tropical cyclones is not yet over. Let us continue to ensure the safety of our people and conduct preemptive or even forced evacuation, if the situation warrants it,” he said.
From October 1, 2024 to date, six tropical cyclones have entered PAR, namely; Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel and Pepito. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)
