The Department of Science and Technology showcased their disaster risk reduction and management innovations at a 3-day exhibit to “enhance awareness of different stakeholders” on technologies they can utilize, and prepare against possible losses brought by natural disasters.

According to DOST Secretary Renato Solidum, there are “compelling reasons” for such innovations and why climate and disaster resilience should be prioritized in the country.

“The recently launched Philippine Climate and Development Report by the World Bank which states that 1.2% to as much as 4.6% of the country's gross domestic product GDP is lost annually due to the damages brought upon by typhoons. Hence this limits the development gains of this country,” Solidum said during the opening of the exhibit.

“Then in the World Risk Report 2022 the country placed the highest among 193 nations in the world risk index as the country most at risk and exposed to natural hazards and the adverse effects of climate change. We cannot do away with the Philippines being exposed to natural hazards and the effects of climate change but we can do something about it to lessen the impacts of these threats,” the science and technology secretary added.

Aside from protecting lives and property, the DOST aimed to create technologies that protect the country’s “wealth creation” against “adverse effects of climate change and disaster”.

“We can also future proof our development gains which can translate to creation of more jobs which would also promote livability of communities that are connected to human well-being and which can improve our sustainable resources,” Solidum said.

Some of these technologies are A new lightning alert system installed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which “monitors and provides advisories on threatening lightning strikes from a reference point in the airport.”

“The system issues yellow or red alert to ensure the safety of airport crew and passengers, so if there is a standard thunderstorm and lightning from time to time, the operations of the airport is stopped,” he said.

The VolcanoPH Info app which “provides early warning information on correct current volcanic status of volcanoes that are at alert level one or higher ”.

“More importantly it would identify the necessary preparedness and response actions for safety and this would go directly down to individual holders of cell phone rather than waiting for the local government to pass it on so you have various modalities of receiving the information from the local government, from the media and directly through your phone,” Solidum said.

DOST also highlighted the GeoRisk Philippines app, which was developed with Phivolcs and other government organizations, to “harmonize fragmented hazard and exposure information, gather and share multi hazards information, and therefore improve the vulnerability and risk assessment and disaster prevention preparedness response and recovery planning”.

“You push a button and the recovery plan will be made available for the LGU. It can make recovery planning much faster compared to months to several weeks or even a few days on innovations for food security," Solidum said.

The exhibit runs from November 9 to 11, 2022 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.