AS THE Philippines is about to end another year marked by numerous natural calamities, the nation continues to struggle with severed communications, impassable roads, and delayed aid in disaster aftermath—challenges that emerging technologies are seeking to address.
Since the signing of Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the Philippines has adopted a coordinated approach to preventing, responding to, and managing disasters. To support this, notable projects have been developed both on the local and national level.
Communal Challenges
Among these projects is the Connectivity, Capability, and Resiliency through the Free Wi-Fi for All (CoRe FW4A) initiative launched by the United Nations Development Programme Philippines (UNDP PH), in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). The initiative aims to establish reliable internet connectivity and accessible communication networks that remain operational in crisis situations.
Building on this vision, the Ateneo Innovation Center (AIC) has also developed the Sustainable Technologies for Environment-Friendly and Ecological Resilience (STEER) program, which intends to offer access to basic needs and livelihood opportunities for communities often overlooked by urban technologies.
AIC Operations Manager Paul Cabacungan noted that local government leaders from their partner community in Enrile, Cagayan—when asked about their Disaster Risk Reduction and Management needs—prioritized communication pathways over food or water provisions.
Cabacungan also pointed out that unstable internet connectivity is a struggle for students to continue their education during storms, as most learning materials required internet access or physical modules, which were often unavailable.
Meanwhile, UNDP Senior Technical Officer Ronel Vistal also emphasized several often-overlooked factors in disaster response, such as the availability of emergency communication systems in remote and underserved areas and the importance of capacity-building for local authorities.
In response to these problems, the STEER program was launched in partnership with the Ateneo de Naga University, combining everyday sustenance and emergency response to form a dynamic system that responds to disaster complications.
On the other hand, the CoRe FW4A project ensures that even geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, Indigenous Peoples (IP), and Public Health Facilities can access essential resources through the provided internet connection.
Resilient technologies
To further support underserved communities, the AIC constructed houses in Barangay Panicuason, Naga City, for some of the most impoverished residents. There, the team installed a network of seven key technologies—a solar photovoltaic system, solar fans and LED lighting, a clean water system, a hydroponics farm, domestic liquid waste treatment, brick stove, and oven, an image transmission by radio device through Fldigi, and the NearCloud mobile cloud device.
Solar-powered homes were constructed using recycled coarse aggregate concrete. Each house features a liquid waste treatment system that utilizes activated carbon, gravel, and papyrus reeds to convert waste into Class C water for irrigation. Additionally, a rainwater catchment system—powered by solar energy—supplies four liters of potable water per minute.
With the integration of sustainability in their construction, the homes are also equipped with a brick stove and oven for cooking and sanitizing utensils, while an external hydroponic farm mitigates soil contamination and ensures nutrients effectively reach plant roots.
For communications, a radio system enables image transmission accessible through the smartphone program Fldigi, facilitating farm-related discussions when travel is impractical. Moreover, the NearCloud device allows offline use for learning modules and local government unit (LGU) documents by caching online resources.
Beyond meeting daily needs, Cabacungan pointed out that these technologies offer income-generating opportunities, as the plant-based components and clean water produced by the various systems can be harvested and sold.
Similarly, the UNDP and DICT leverage innovative technology to provide internet connectivity to disadvantaged communities. A key component of the CoRe FWW4A is the deployment of Free WiFi Access Points (FW APs), which facilitate uninterrupted communication even in remote regions.
These access points, along with emergency backup systems like uninterruptible power supplies and generator sets, ensure that LGUs remain connected during disaster response efforts.
Furthermore, DICT aided in customizing location profiles with specific communication solutions. For emergency communications, the FW APs offer speeds of up to 30 Mbps, as well as 12 months of managed internet service, connectivity via Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), and one access point per location—which can also be used outside of emergencies.
To access the FW4A, the public must first verify whether their LGU is a beneficiary of the program. Citizens may connect to the FW APs by opening their phone’s settings and turning on Wi-Fi to connect to “freewifi4all-(region),” agreeing to the Terms and Conditions, and inputting required information such as gender and age.
Given the technical knowledge needed to maintain these facilities, the UNDP and the AIC provide training for the locals on how to utilize or troubleshoot these systems, emphasizing the relevance of empowering communities to manage these technologies themselves.
Adapting to uncertain times
The innovative technologies of the STEER program and FW4A demonstrate the important role of technology in improving disaster resilience—from ensuring access to food and clean water to maintaining communication in the most difficult conditions.
The CoRe FW4A project strengthened ICT infrastructure by equipping select health facilities and government offices in both remote areas and key cities, with additional FW APs and communication tools that significantly improve response times. The project also provided alternative power supply solutions for IP communities in anticipation of power outages.
“The crucial role of a strong and reliable ICT system cannot be underscored enough when anticipating and preparing for disasters. Making sure that the general population receives timely information [during disasters] already significantly increases their capacity to prepare and do preemptive measures,” Vistal explains.
Furthermore, the AIC assures that its technologies are relevant and of high quality. As proof of this, many of the technologies serve the University community while ensuring the environment is nourished. Available on the Ateneo campus is the STEER network which includes the liquid waste filtration system and the smart hydroponic lettuce farm.
Cabacungan takes pride in the AIC’s projects, which are passed on from one batch of students to another in an effort to build off each other’s knowledge and resource pool. Following this, he calls for aspiring innovators to encounter lived community experiences in answering the world’s most pressing problems.
“We need people like you to promote and learn about the technologies and work with us. […] We need people to immerse themselves in understanding the real problems because if you don’t know, you don’t know how to solve it,” Cabacungan encourages. Ultimately, technology that truly helps communities is not only sustainable but also continually evolves to meet the needs of a volatile world. Across the country, access to innovation is expanding in hopes of closing the digital divide.
