Delayed SMS warning signals? NDRRMC exec explains why

A National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) official on Monday explained why SMS rainfall warning signals are oftentimes delayed.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo  Jalad said their text warnings are hampered by the time it takes to identify where each subscriber is located and what warnings are applicable to them.

"Dictated na ho talaga ng technology, ng system. Kung mapapansin niyo, meron tayong time stamp diyan," he said.

"'Yung SMS technology, may kabagalan po 'yan. Ang explanation po niyan, i-harvest pa nila kung sinu-sino 'yung cellphone subscribers nila dun sa lugar na sinasabi nating padadalhan," Jalad added.

Jalad said investments must be made into the emergency SMS broadcast to make it more timely, though he noted that it was up to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to study the matter.

"Sa ngayon, nakikigamit tayo, itong SMS na ginagamit, depende ho 'yan sa availability or sa maibibigay ng technology," he said.

Jalad also said it would be best to first focus on the enhancement of the country's end-to-end monitoring from monitoring to response, and capacitate local government units for risk assessment and emergency response.

A measure he believes is not necessary to improve emergency response is the creation of a separate department for disaster response.

"Napakalawak nitong disaster risk response and management. Hindi natin mailagay ito sa isang department lamang," Jalad said, noting that a single department will still need to interlink with agencies and local governments.

A proposal that can be considered is the creation of a Department of Disaster Resilience that he said would have more than a coordinative function. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News