BANGUED, Abra (PIA) — The Department of Information and Communication Technology installed a Starlink High-speed internet at Abra Operations Center (OpCen) in Brgy. Calaba in anticipation of possible internet disruptions due to Typhoon Nika.
During the Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment meeting on Typhoon Nika, DICT-Abra Chief Rufino Cabato reported that they installed a Starlink internet at the OpCen to which provide stable internet access to ensure connectivity with the local government units for information sharing especially for the response phase.
While internet modems still rely on electricity to power up, Cabato assured that there is an available generator set from DICT which can be used during power interruptions.
“Nu agawan man ti kuryente, adda ti available nga generator for PDRRMC nu agrequest da, tapnu adda latta power na diay Starlink, tuloy-tuloy ti internet connectivity tayo,” Cabato said.
[If there’s a power interruption, there’s an available generator for PDRRM which will provide power to the Starlink, so the internet connectivity is stable.]
Aside from the Starlink, Cabato also mentioned the availability of VSAT (Very-Small Aperture Terminal) which provides satellite internet access.
“There is an available VSAT also. However, it is difficult to set up due to the gloomy weather condition right now. We can use as back up equipment for internet connectivity,” Cabato said.
The Starlink installed at Abra OpCen currently runs as 165 megabytes per second (MBPS), which is fast enough to download and send large files and data. One of the challenges that the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council faced in the previous years is the difficulty of establishing a stable internet at the height of a typhoon.
Without the internet, the PDRMMC experienced trouble in compiling reports from Municipal DRRM Councils for submission to concerned . (JDP/CAGT-PIA CAR, Abra)
