Three barangays in Virac, Catanduanes, received emergency communication and power equipment in July to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
Barangays Balite, Simamla and Talisoy received Ligtas Kits from PLDT, Smart and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) through Project REACHED (Resilient Emergency Communications for Enhanced Disaster Response), an Australian Aid-funded initiative.
The turnover was held at the Virac Municipal Hall as part of activities marking National Disaster Resilience Month.
The Ligtas Kit includes a power station, solar panel, smartphone, crank radio, pocket Wi-Fi, emergency lights, FM radio and charging accessories intended to help maintain communications and power during emergencies.
PDRF Center Director Arnel Capili said the deployment extends earlier Project REACHED support to barangays that had not previously been covered.
“Building the disaster resilience and capacity of these Virac barangays reflects the combined efforts of the PDRF, PLDT and Smart, the Office of Civil Defense, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the World Food Programme, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through Project REACHED,” Capili said.
Virac Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer II Josephine Benavidez said the selected barangays have limited mobile coverage, which can make emergency coordination difficult.
“With the PLDT and Smart Ligtas Kit, we will now be able to monitor the condition of the residents even prior to our team physically being in the area,” Benavidez said.
Barangay Balite Kagawad Alexander Borja said the equipment addresses a gap in the barangay’s disaster response capacity, which previously depended on a small generator during power interruptions. He said the megaphone and power station would be particularly useful for coordinating coastal evacuations.
Virac Mayor Sinforoso M. Sarmiento Jr. said the assistance addresses the municipality’s need for additional disaster response resources. He said the selected barangays’ performance in delivering local public services would help ensure the equipment is properly maintained and used.
PLDT and Smart executive Roby Alampay, head of Public Engagement, said partnerships with local governments are important to disaster resilience efforts.
“It’s about making sure that we can still help each other, especially when we can’t communicate with each other. This is part of our mission to work hand-in-hand with partners, particularly LGUs. Local governments know their communities best, and our partnership with them is central to how we deliver disaster resilience programs,” Alampay said.
The Virac deployment is part of Project REACHED’s broader effort to strengthen emergency communications and response capabilities in disaster-prone communities.
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