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Building e-Resilience in the Philippines

Enhancing the Role of Information and Communications Technology for Disaster Risk Management

2 | B u i l d i n g e - R e s i l i e n c e i n t h e P h i l i p p i n e s

The secretariat of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the

regional development arm of the United Nations and serves as the main economic and social

development centre for the United Nations in Asia and the Pacific. Its mandate is to foster

cooperation among its 53 members and 9 associate members. It provides the strategic link

between global and country-level programmes and issues. It supports Governments of countries

in the region in consolidating regional positions and advocates regional approaches to meeting the

region’s unique socioeconomic challenges in a globalizing world. The ESCAP secretariat is in

Bangkok. Please visit the ESCAP website at http://www.unescap.org for further information.

The shaded areas of the map indicate ESCAP members and associate members.


Building e-Resilience in the Philippines: Enhancing the Role of Information and

Communications Technology for Disaster Risk Management

© United Nations, 2016

The designations employed and material presented do not imply the expression of any opinion

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For more information contact:

Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

The United Nations Building

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Thailand

Telephone: +66 2 288 1234

Fax: +66 2 288 1000

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.unescap.org/idd


Contents

List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. 6

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... 6

Abbreviations and Acronyms .......................................................................................................... 7

1. Introduction............................................................................................................................. 8

2. The Legal and Policy Context of ICT in DRM in the Philippines .......................................... 9

2.1 DRR and DRM as a Legal Duty ........................................................................................... 9

2.2 Legal Context of DRR in the Philippines.............................................................................. 9

2.3 Legislative Efforts ............................................................................................................... 11

2.4 The Tampere Convention .................................................................................................... 13

2.5 The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response .................. 14

2.6 Executive Decrees and Agency-Level Policies to Implement Disaster-Related Measures. 15

2.7 Efforts at the Local Level .................................................................................................... 18

3. Assessment of ICT Readiness and DRM Plans .................................................................... 18

3.1 e-Resilience ......................................................................................................................... 18

3.2 State of ICT Infrastructure in the Philippines: Availability, Usage and Quality................. 19

3.3 Gateways and Telecommunication Backbones ................................................................... 21

International Cable Landings ............................................................................................... 21

Domestic Networks ............................................................................................................... 24

Internet Exchange ................................................................................................................. 24

Cellular Networks ................................................................................................................. 25

3.4 Resilient Government ICT Systems .................................................................................... 26

The e-Government Master Plan ............................................................................................ 26

3.5 ICT for DRM ...................................................................................................................... 27

Fibre Optic Network ............................................................................................................. 27

Government Cloud or GovCloud .......................................................................................... 27

TV White Space ..................................................................................................................... 28

Integrated System for Digital Broadcast TV ......................................................................... 29

3.6 Revised Building Code Standards ....................................................................................... 29

4. Trends in Applications .............................................................................................................. 29

4.1 ICTs in Disaster Prevention and Mitigation ........................................................................ 29

Project NOAH ....................................................................................................................... 29

Advanced Remote Data-acquisition Unit (arQ) ................................................................... 30

Nababaha.com ...................................................................................................................... 31

PHIVOLCS Information Portal and Hazard Maps .............................................................. 31

4.2 ICTs in Disaster Preparedness ............................................................................................ 32

OCD’s Disaster Information for Nationwide Awareness Project (Project DINA) ............... 32

Weather Forecasting ............................................................................................................ 32

OCD’s National Cell Broadcast System ............................................................................... 33

4.3 ICTs in Disaster Response .................................................................................................. 33

NDRRMC’s Intelligent Operations Center ........................................................................... 33

Government Emergency Communication Programme ......................................................... 34

NDRRMC National Text Blast System .................................................................................. 34

eBayanihan Project .............................................................................................................. 35

Batingaw Mobile App ........................................................................................................... 35

4.4 ICTs in Disaster Recovery .................................................................................................. 35

FAiTH ................................................................................................................................... 36


Track Recovery System ......................................................................................................... 36

iGovPhil ................................................................................................................................ 37

5. Conclusions and Recommendations .......................................................................................... 37

5.1 Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 38

1. Formulate an ICT plan for DRM that is integrated and coordinated with existing DRM

and climate change policies and programmes...................................................................... 38

2. Strengthen the enabling policy environment for enhancing ICT in DRM and CCA. ... 39

3. Promote public-private partnerships in the sharing of resources and information, and

in facilitating better coordination during disasters. ............................................................. 40

4. Prioritize resilience ...................................................................................................... 41

5. Build capacity in the use of ICT for DRM and CCA .................................................... 42

6. Engage and strengthen bilateral, regional and international collaboration for DRM

and CCA ............................................................................................................................... 43


List of Figures

Figure 1: Access to ICTs in the Philippines, 2000-2013

Figure 2: Map of cable landings in the Philippines

Figure 3: The building blocks of e-government in the EGMP

List of Tables

Table 1: Summary of relevant DRM laws and the ICT involved/covered

Table 2: Relevant resolutions related to the Tampere Convention

Table 3: Important executive issuances on the use of ICT in times of emergency

Table 4: Internet growth in the Philippines, 2000-2014

Table 5: Summary of submarine cable systems in the Philippines

Table 6: Mobile phone coverage (base stations, cell sites and coverage)

Table 7: Security and recovery measures undertaken by government agencies and departments


Abbreviations and Acronyms

AADMER ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response

AAG Asia-America Gateway

APCN Asia Pacific Cable Network

APCN-2 Asia Pacific Cable Network 2

ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations

ASTI Applied Science and Technology Institute

CCA Climate Change Adaptation

CICT Commission on Information and Communications Technology

DFON Domestic Fibre Optic Network

DOST Department of Science and Technology

DRM Disaster Risk Management

DRR Disaster Risk Reduction

EAC-C2C East Asia Crossing

EGMP e-Government Master Plan

EO Executive Order

ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (United Nations)

ETPI Eastern Telecommunications Philippines

FAiTH Foreign Aid Transparency Hub

G-P Guam - Philippines

GIS Geographic Information System

ICT Information and Communications Technology

iGovPhil Integrated Government Philippines

IOC Intelligent Operations Centre

IPv6 Internet Protocol version 6

ISP Internet Service Provider

LGU Local Government Unit

MIX Manila Internet Exchange

NDRRMC National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council

NDTN National Digital Transmission Network

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

NTC National Telecommunications Commission

OCD Office of Civil Defense

PAGASA Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

PARR Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery

PHIVOLCS Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology

PhIX Philippine Internet Exchange

PHOpenIX Philippine Open Internet Exchange

PLDT Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company

R&D Research and Development

SEA-ME-WE-3 South-East Asia - Middle East - Western Europe 3

SMS Short Message Service

TelicPhil Telecom Infrastructure of the Philippines

TGN-IA Tata TGN Intra-Asia


1. Introduction

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, with annual damages

amounting to 0.7 per cent of the nation’s gross domestic product per year, and deaths due to

disasters averaging 1,000 per year.1 Located on the western rim of the Pacific and along the

Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt, the Philippines is subject to storms, typhoons, earthquakes, floods,

volcanic eruptions, droughts, landslides and other natural hazards. At least 60% of the total land

area of the country is exposed to multiple hazards and 74% of its population is vulnerable to the

impact of these hazards.2

Since 2010 when the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act was passed, the Philippines

has been shifting its focus from disaster response to a holistic and proactive approach to disaster

risk reduction (DRR) and disaster risk management (DRM), with the intent of making people

more resilient to the effects of disasters. With the Act of 2010 serving as the country’s overall

guiding policy and framework for DRR, it addresses four overlapping areas or phases: (1)

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; (2) Disaster Preparedness; (3) Disaster Response; and (4)

Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery.

The role of information and communications technology (ICT) in all these phases is critical for

managing and communicating information, and coordinating efforts among different actors. This

report looks at the resilience of ICT systems in the Philippines, or the ability of the ICT systems

to withstand and recover from disaster events. It also examines the role of ICT in building

people’s resilience to disasters in the Philippines, by providing examples of how ICT has helped

Filipinos withstand, adapt to and recover from the effects of disasters.

The next section of this report discusses ICT considerations in DRM policies. This is followed by

an assessment of the ICT readiness of the DRM sector in Section 3. The findings from this

section are based on interviews with government officials and with experts that are developing

ICT applications for DRM in the country. Attention is given to fibre optic connectivity networks

and broadband as critical infrastructure for DRM. In this regard, the state of broadband

infrastructure as provided by the market and the government is described, along with the various

cable landings in the country. Data is provided on the growing Internet user base in the country,

despite the relatively poor quality of broadband access available. The resilience of ICT systems to

provide early warnings, withstand disaster events and help recovery is also examined.

Section 4 goes on to provide some examples of ICT applications in the four phases of DRM, such

as: monitoring and data acquisition systems for disaster prevention and mitigation; weather

forecasting systems for disaster preparedness; an intelligent operations centre and emergency

communication systems for disaster response; and information systems for tracking donations and

funds during disaster recovery. These examples are based on a review of related literature,

information provided by key agencies involved in DRM, and presentations from recent

workshops on ICT and DRM that the Philippine ICT Office conducted. The final section of this

report concludes with an analysis of lessons learned and issues that need to be addressed.

1 Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, Country Program Update: Philippines, May 2014. Available

from https://www.gfdrr.org/sites/gfdrr/files/region/PH.pdf. 2 Ibid.


2. The Legal and Policy Context of ICT in DRM in the Philippines

This section surveys efforts undertaken by the Government of the Philippines to develop a

comprehensive DRR programme. Specifically, it looks at the extent to which current legislative

efforts have empowered or equipped communities and stakeholders to manage disaster risks, and

promoted the effective use of ICT in DRM. It also looks at the extent to which the country has

adopted and complied with global disaster risk assessment practices (e.g., the Tampere

Convention).

2.1 DRR and DRM as a Legal Duty

Under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the State committed

to “provide maximum care, assistance, and services to individuals and families affected by

disaster, implement emergency rehabilitation projects to lessen the impact of disaster, and

facilitate the resumption of normal social and economic activities” (Section 2p). The State

considers it a duty to ensure the safety of lives and property in the event of a disaster as explicitly

stated under Section 19a that any person, group or corporation may be held liable for “dereliction

of duties which leads to destruction, loss of lives, critical damage of facilities, and misuse of

funds.” A negligent public official, in other words, may be held personally accountable for acting

in bad faith or ultra vires to the mandate of the State.

Subsequently, several bills were filed to strengthen the DRR programme prescribed by law. For

example, during the 15th Congress, the law criminalizing the tampering, theft and appropriation of

government-owned DRM equipment was passed. Other examples include proposed bills to:

institutionalize DRM at the level of the Sangguniang Kabataan (the locally elected youth

council); institutionalize a system for the effective administration of cash donations and

humanitarian aid from local and foreign sponsors; and penalize refusal to evacuate in the event of

a calamity or disaster. There was also a proposed bill to take advantage of the booming mobile

phone industry with measures requiring telecom companies to allow free short message service

(SMS) alerts in the event of a disaster or calamity (this was eventually enacted into law on 20

June 2014).

Some legislators see the need to integrate DRR into other sectors such as taxation and education.

For instance, there is a pending bill that seeks tax relief to the contributions made to disaster relief

and rehabilitation efforts. There is also a proposal to establish a Philippine Academy for DRR and

climate change adaptation (CCA). Another proposal requires broadcast media to provide adequate

public service time to enable government to reach and educate the public on important issues,

including disaster preparedness.

2.2 Legal Context of DRR in the Philippines

The Act of 2010 called for the establishment of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Council (NDRRMC) coordinated by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). The inter-

agency council guides the nation's DRR efforts at the national and local levels.

The Act of 2010 puts OCD to the task of coming up with a National Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Plan, to be implemented at all government levels. The law also mandates the

reorganization of existing provincial, regional, city, municipal, and barangay (village) disaster


coordinating councils into provincial, city, municipal and barangay disaster risk reduction and

management councils to oversee the implementation of the local disaster risk reduction and

management plans.

An interesting feature of this legislation is the premium it places on technologies as potential

tools for disaster prevention and mitigation. For instance, under the law the NDRRMC is

mandated to ensure that various stakeholders participate in the development, updating and sharing

of information through the creation of databases and geographic information system (GIS)-based

risk maps. Under Section 6 of the Act, the NDRRMC is tasked to develop tools to assess existing

and potential hazards brought about by climate change to vulnerable areas and ecosystems. The

NDRRMC is also tasked to establish a national early warning and emergency alert system that

can be disseminated through digital and analogue broadcast, cable, satellite television and radio,

as well as wireless and landline communications. Even though the Council is chaired by the

Secretary of the Department of National Defense, the Secretary of the Department of Science and

Technology (DOST) sits as Vice-Chairperson for disaster prevention and mitigation.

The Climate Change Act of 2009 was passed a year earlier in order to ‘mainstream’ climate

change as an agenda in the government’s programme of action. Even then, the law already

identified, among others, research and development (R&D), database development and

management, capability building, and information dissemination as part of government’s strategy

to address climate change (Section 12). The law also creates a Climate Change Commission that

is empowered to receive funds from local and foreign sources to finance the research,

development and promotion of technologies.

The People’s Survival Fund Act, amended the Climate Change Act on 6 June 2012, by allocating

PHP 1 billion in a start-up fund for the development of forecasting and early warning systems for

climate-related hazards, among other interventions.

On 4 December 2012, President Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Risk Reduction and

Preparedness Equipment Protection Act that punishes the theft, tampering or destruction of vital

facilities and accessories used for detecting and mitigating natural disasters. Equipment,

according to the law’s implementing rules and regulation refers to, “pieces of equipment or

devices or parts thereof that gather, transmit, store, archive, process and analyse meteorological,

hydrological, oceanographic, geodetic, geological, volcanological and seismological data, and

disseminate information, which are used for preparing and warning the public about weather,

hydrological and oceanographic conditions, earthquake, volcanic or tsunami activities and similar

natural phenomena” (refer to the Advanced Remote Data-acquisition Unit on p. 37 for examples

of ICT equipment being used for this purpose). Note, however, that the special law covers only

government facilities, and not those owned or operated by private entities. The implementing

rules and regulations that were drafted by DOST also lists the specific equipment protected under

this law.


Table 1: Summary of relevant DRM laws and the ICT involved/covered

Policy What it provides ICT involved/covered

Philippine Disaster Risk

Reduction and

Management Act of 2010

(RA 10121)

A multi-stakeholder participation in

the development, updating and

sharing of a Disaster Risk Reduction

and Management Information System

Establishment of a national early

warning and emergency alert system

to provide accurate and timely advice

to national and local emergency

response organizations and the

general public

- Database and information system

- GIS-based national risk maps

- Dissemination of warning

messages via digital and analogue

broadcast, cable, satellite

television and radio, as well as

wireless and landline

communications

Climate Change Act of

2009 (RA 9729)

R&D, database development and

information dissemination as part of

strategy to address climate change

Research, development and

promotion of technology

- Database and new risk assessment

technology

- Communication infrastructure

- Tools and technology relevant to

climate change

People’s Survival Fund

Act (RA10174)

Financing the development of

forecasting and early warning

systems

- Forecasting and early warning

ICT

Risk Reduction and

Preparedness Equipment

Protection Act (RA

10344)

Punishes the theft, destruction,

tampering and illegal sale of

equipment used in DRR

- Protection of government

equipment and technology used

in DRM

2.3 Legislative Efforts

Most of the relevant DRR legislations were enacted in the past five years, but this does not mean

that similar efforts were not undertaken previously. The idea of setting up a national agency that

will oversee and coordinate disaster relief efforts, for instance, had already been a legislative

agenda since democracy was restored in the Philippines in 1987. During the 8th Congress, at least

five bills were filed at the House of Representatives, calling for the institution of a national

disaster relief and rehabilitation office. There have also been attempts, at least from the Lower

House, to coordinate national and local disaster relief efforts, as shown by the bills calling for

strengthening the country’s preparedness capability, as well as proposals for setting up provincial

disaster and relief operations funds. With respect to raising public awareness, as early as the 8th

Congress, Iloilo Rep. Narciso Monfort already proposed the inclusion of basic concepts of

disaster prevention and preparedness as a subject in the academic curriculum of prospective

medical and health professionals. None of these bills, however, successfully materialized into

legislation.

During the 9th Congress, proposals to strengthen the disaster preparedness capability of the

country were revived. The proposal to include basic disaster prevention and preparedness in the


medical and nursing curriculum was reconsidered. Even then, there were attempts to

institutionalize a comprehensive prevention, rescue, relief and rehabilitation programme in the

event of a disaster or calamity. More concrete proposals included Rep. Danilo Suarez’s bill

calling for the reorganization of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical

Services Administration (PAGASA) to make it more responsive to disasters, and House Speaker

Jose De Venecia’s bill allowing local government units (LGUs) to use 5 per cent of their reserve

funds for local emergency situations. All of these measures, however, sat pending in their

respective committees.

Raising disaster awareness appears to be a recurring interest among many House Members, as

shown by proposals during the 10th Congress to include disaster preparedness in the high school

curriculum (see for instance, bills filed by Rep. Antonio Diaz and Rep. Narciso Monfort). In

order to fully harness the opportunities that new advancements in ICT offer, there were measures

that proposed, among others, Internet access for all government offices and the establishment of a

Philippine Internet corporation. Again, none of these proposals made it past chamber

deliberations.

At the 11th Congress, again there were calls to include disaster awareness as part of the school

curriculum, not just at the secondary level, but also at the primary level. Likewise, there were

proposals to modernize the government’s weather agency (PAGASA), including its capability to

broadcast information to the public. Several bills were filed calling for the streamlining of the

country’s disaster preparedness and prevention capability. Relating to ICT, Rep. Jose Maria

Gonzales filed a bill calling for the reorganization of the National Telecommunications

Commission (NTC), and Rep. Leandro Verceles proposed the creation of a Department of ICT

that is distinct and separate from the Department of Transportation and Communication.

During the 12th Congress, no less than six related bills were filed calling for the creation of a

Department of ICT. There was also a proposal to reorganize the Coast and Geodetic Survey

Department of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, and to transfer its

supervision to the Department of Transportation and Communication. Neither disaster mitigation

per se, nor the creation of a separate agency exploring the potential of ICT seemed to be the

priority during that time, as none of these proposals were enacted into legislation.

A number of the aforementioned legislative proposals were revived during the 13th Congress. The

call to strengthen the country’s disaster response capability, for instance, was a reverberating

theme, although Congress would adjourn with these bills pending at the Committee on National

Defense. Similarly with ICT, as the Filipino consumer was rapidly being introduced to products

and services utilizing the technology, there were legislative proposals geared toward the

integration of ICT in the school curriculum at primary and secondary levels, but there were no

significant legislative changes related to promoting ICT development and use, particularly the use

of ICT as a tool for DRM.

The 14th Congress in 2010 marked an important milestone for DRR in the Philippines when the

Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 was passed. The year 2010 was

a stormy year for the Philippines, and policymakers seemed to have taken the issue of DRR

seriously. In Rep. Narciso Santiago’s version of the bill, he even proposed the development of

training programmes on emergency and disaster preparedness for public sector employees.


2.4 The Tampere Convention

Policymakers have long seen the potential of ICTs in managing disaster risks. In fact, as early as

1990, States have gathered in Geneva to discuss ways in which communication can help in

disaster recovery and response. This was followed by the World Conference on Natural Disaster

Reduction in Yokohama in 1994 where it was recognized that disaster prevention, mitigation,

prevention and relief are crucial to sustainable development policies.

Several conferences and workshops that followed paid special attention to telecommunication

infrastructures that have become part of people’s daily lives. Collectively, these discussions

became the precursor of the Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication

Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations.3 A summary of the conferences and

resolutions that contributed to the Convention’s adoption are given in Table 2.

Table 2: Relevant resolutions related to the Tampere Convention

Resolution/Conference Highlights

International Conference on Disaster

Communications (Geneva, 1990)

Ways in which ICT can help in disaster mitigation and response

United Nations General Assembly

Resolution 44/236

Designated 1990-2000 as the International Decade for Natural

Disaster Reduction


Resolution 46/182

Called for strengthened international coordination of

humanitarian emergency assistance

World Conference on Natural Disaster

Reduction (Yokohama, 1994)

Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World

Resolution 7 of the World

Telecommunication Development

Conference (Buenos Aires, 1994), endorsed

by Resolution 36 of the Plenipotentiary

Conference of the International

Telecommunication Union (Kyoto, 1994)

Governments were urged to take all the practical steps for

facilitating rapid deployment and effective use of

telecommunication equipment for disaster mitigation and relief

operations by reducing and, where possible, removing

regulatory barriers and strengthening cooperation among States

Resolution 644 of the World Radio

Communication Conference (Geneva, 1997)

Governments were urged to give their full support to the

adoption of this Convention and to its national implementation

Resolution 19 of the World

Telecommunication Development

Conference (Valletta, 1998)

Governments were urged to continue their examination of this

Convention and consider giving their full support to its

adoption


Resolution 51/194

Encouraged the development of: (1) A transparent and timely

procedure for implementing effective disaster relief

coordination arrangements, and (2) ReliefWeb as the global

information system for the dissemination of reliable and timely

information on emergencies and natural disasters

3 Yun Zhao, "Disaster Management and the Tampere Convention", Journal of East Asia and International Law, vol.

141, no. 1 (2008), pp. 141-151.


The Tampere Convention is considered the first global treaty to provide an international

regulatory framework on the use of telecommunication resources for DRM.4 Some of the key

features of the Tampere Convention include:

Interstate telecommunication inventory and assistance – Article 4 of the Tampere

Convention stipulates that a State party to the Convention may request ICT assistance

from other parties in an event of disaster mitigation and relief. Under Article 5, State

parties so requested must provide appropriate privileges, immunities and facilities to

persons involved in providing disaster relief assistance. Under Article 8, a State party,

non-State entity or intergovernmental organization may deposit with the operational

coordinator, information about certain telecommunication resources necessary to respond

to particular disasters. The operational coordinator, in turn, is obliged to disseminate such

information to party States. States are under obligation to exert effort to facilitate action

and to minimize damage by reducing response time.

Removal of regulatory barriers – Article 9 of the Convention calls upon party States to

reduce or remove regulatory barriers, not just to the use of ICT for disaster mitigation and

relief, but in providing telecommunication assistance. Barriers, of course, may include

restriction on trade of ICT equipment, laws restricting the movement of people who

operate the equipment, and policies that delay the administration of interventions. Some

concrete measures that States can adopt to comply with the provision include the granting

of immunity to ICT operators engaged in disaster relief efforts, tax exemption or relief to

those involved in disaster relief assistance, a licensing exemption for ICT equipment used

in relief operations, and the lifting of import or export restriction on ICT devices used for

disaster relief and management.

Expediting and facilitating ICT use within the framework of international

humanitarian assistance – The Convention espouses the use of ICT as a form of direct

assistance, as a component, or in support of other disaster mitigation and relief activities

to States affected by a disaster. The Convention defines the status, privileges and

immunities of persons serving as partners in international humanitarian assistance,

including government entities, international organizations, as well as non-governmental

and non-State actors.

As of 19 September 2014, the Convention has 60 signatories and 48 parties. The Convention

formally took legal effect on 8 January 2005. The Philippines, as of this writing, is neither a party

nor a signatory to the Convention.

2.5 The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response

At the regional level, the Philippines is party to the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management

and Emergency Response (AADMER),5 which was ratified by all ten Association of Southeast

Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States and became legally binding on 24 December 2009.

AADMER is ASEAN’s attempt at formulating a proactive regional framework for cooperation,

coordination, technical assistance, and resource mobilization in all aspects of DRM. The

4 Allison Rahrig, "Love Thy Neighbor: The Tampere Convention as Global Legislation", Indiana Journal of Global

Legal Studies, vol. 17, no. 2 (2010), pp. 272-288; and Yun Zhao, "Disaster Management and the Tampere Convention",

Journal of East Asia and International Law, vol. 141, no. 1 (2008), pp. 141-151. 5 See http://agreement.asean.org/media/download/20140119170000.pdf.


Agreement, which was drafted in response to ASEAN’s commitment to the Hyogo Framework

for Action,6 is the first legally binding Hyogo-related instrument in the world.

AADMER seeks to provide effective mechanisms to minimize the social, economic and

environmental impact of disasters through concerted national efforts and strengthened regional

and international cooperation. To do this, Member States agreed on an AADMER Work

Programme for 2010-2015.7 The Work Programme recognizes the importance of ICT, and

envisions an ASEAN-wide ICT infrastructure comprised of people, processes, policies and

technologies that are dependable, flexible and scalable. ICT-related actions in the Work

Programme include:

Evaluating existing ICT assets and prioritizing those that have immediate implications

Developing minimum standards for information management and communication

infrastructure to guarantee not only the security of information, but also its availability

and reliability

Establishing and implementing ICT policies in accordance with best practices

Coming up with an ICT governance model that provides ongoing dialogue, collaboration

and coordinated decision-making

2.6 Executive Decrees and Agency-Level Policies to Implement Disaster-

Related Measures

Presidents have traditionally resorted to various written instruments to direct the executive branch

and implement policies whose legal bases were already laid down by legislation.8 Executive

issuances, which have the force and effect of law, are among the vehicles through which the

President exercises this authority. Under the 1987 Constitution there is a separation of powers;

the power to make laws confined to a Congress composed of the Senate and the House of

Representatives, and the duty to execute it vested in the executive department, which is

symbolized and represented by the President.

Section 2.3 discussed legislative efforts related to DRM and ICT. On the part of the executive,

there were also efforts to direct government agencies to integrate ICT not just in its internal

operation, but in the delivery of public services. Table 3 lists important executive issuances that

relate to the use or adoption of ICT tools in the event of disasters.

It is important to mention here that the government already has an e-Government Master Plan

(EGMP) that serves as a blueprint for the integration of ICT in government operation. Under the

6 The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters was

endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in the Resolution A/RES/60/195 following the 2005 World Disaster

Reduction Conference held in Hyogo, Japan in January 2005. Find out more at

https://www.unisdr.org/we/coordinate/hfa. 7 ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work

Programme for 2010-2015 (Jakarta, 2013). Available from

http://www.asean.org/storage/images/resources/ASEAN%20Publication/2013%20%2812.%20Dec%29%20-

%20AADMER%20Work%20Programme%20%284th%20Reprint%29.pdf. 8 Vivian S. Chu and Todd Garvey, Executive Orders: Issuance, Modification and Revocation (Washington DC,

Congressional Research Service, 2014). See also Rogelio Alicor L. Panao, "Beyond roll call: executive-legislative

relations and lawmaking in the Philippine House of Representatives", Philippine Political Science Journal, vol. 35, no.

1 (2014), pp. 59-77.


Plan, the government is envisioned to become digitally empowered to provide integrated,

transparent and responsive online services to the public. Executive Order (EO) 269, which

created the ICT Office, serves as one of its legal foundations. EO 47, which reorganized and

placed the ICT Office under DOST, serves as its implementing law.

Strictly speaking, neither the EGMP nor the aforementioned EOs deal directly with the issue of

ICT adoption towards a more resilient DRM framework. However, the EGMP states that e-

government R&D funds may be used to review existing and proposed mission critical projects

including the development of the national disaster and safety management system, among others.

The commitment to adopt DRR policies is covered by EO 888 that was issued on 7 June 2010.

This EO provides for the adoption of the strategic national action plan, which is encapsulated in

18 projects that include: information and database generation (under the coordination of OCD and

DOST); information, education and communication campaign (to be undertaken by the Philippine

Information Agency); and the development of forecasting and early warning systems (to be

spearheaded by DOST).

Table 3: Important executive issuances on the use of ICT in times of emergency

Executive

issuance Title Important provision

PD 576-A

(11

November

1974)

Regulating the ownership and

operation of radio and TV stations and

for other purposes

Radio and TV stations are required to allocate at

least two hours a day for public service

programmes (e.g., news, educational

programmes and government policy

dissemination).

EO 205, S.

1987

(30 June

1987)

Regulating the operation of cable

antenna television systems in the

Philippines and for other purposes

In times of war, rebellion, public peril or other

national emergency, the President may cause the

closure of a franchise holder’s CATV system or

to authorize government possession and use of it

without compensation.

EO 59

(24

February

1993)

Prescribing the policy guidelines for

compulsory interconnection of

authorized public telecommunications

carriers, in order to create a universally

accessible and fully integrated

nationwide telecommunications

network and thereby encourage greater

private sector investment in

telecommunications

Interconnection between NTC authorized public

telecommunications carriers shall be

compulsory. Interconnection means linkage by

wire, radio, satellite or other means, of two or

more existing telecommunications carriers or

operators with one another for the purpose of

allowing or enabling the subscribers of one

carrier or operator to access or reach the

subscribers of the other carriers or operators.

EO 109

(12 July

1993)

Policy to improve the provision of

local exchange carrier service

Authorized gateway operators are required to

provide a minimum of three hundred local

exchange lines per international switch

termination, and one rural exchange line for

every ten urban local exchange lines installed.


EO 436

(9

September

1997)

Prescribing policy guidelines to govern

the operations of cable television in the

Philippines

The operation of cable television systems, as a

subscriber service undertaking with a unique

technology, shall be maintained separate and

distinct from telecommunications or broadcast

television, and under the sole supervision of the

NTC.

EO 469

(23

February

1998)

amending

EO 190

Approving and adopting the National

Information Technology Plan 2000 and

establishing the National Information

Technology Council

The EO calls for the coordination of all IT

public initiatives, programmes and projects, as

well as the promotion of strategic partnerships

and alliances among local firms and institutions

with leading international research, educational

and training institutions, technology providers,

developers, and manufacturers to speed up

industry growth. It also calls for the creation and

maintenance of a national database on IT as part

of the national statistical system.

EO 264

(12 July

2000)

Establishing the Information

Technology and Electronic Commerce

Council from the merger of the

National Information Technology

Council and the Electronic Commerce

Promotion Council

The EO intends to formulate a national

programme and strategy for the promotion of e-

commerce in the country. The national

programme and strategy for e-commerce shall

be consistent with the National Information

Technology Plan for the 21st Century and its

successor plans.

EO 269

(12 January

2004)

Creating the Commission on

Information and Communications

Technology (CICT)

One of CICT’s function is to encourage the use

of ICT in support of efforts for the development

and promotion of the country's arts and culture,

history, education, public health and safety, and

other socio-civic purposes.

EO 888

(7 June

2010)

Adopting the Strategic National Action

Plan on DRR 2009-2019 and

institutionalizing DRR

Included in the 18 priority projects under the

Strategic National Action Plan are information

and database generation; information,

education, and communication campaigns; and

forecasting and early warning.

EO 893

(11 June

2010)

Promoting the deployment and use of

Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6)

The EO orders the adoption of a government

IPv6 migration plan. It also orders Internet

service providers (ISPs) to be IPv6 compliant

within two years.

EO 47

(23 June

2011)

Reorganizing, renaming and

transferring the CICT and its attached

agencies to the DOST, directing the

implementation thereof, and for other

purposes

The EO aims to ensure the provision of, among

others, efficient and effective ICT infrastructure,

information systems and resources to support

efficient and accountable governance, and the

delivery of accessible public service.


2.7 Efforts at the Local Level

Under existing DRR laws, LGUs are expected to be at the frontline in emergency response, as

well as be proactive in mitigating disaster risks. This vision is enshrined in the Local Government

Code, and reiterated in relevant legislations such as the Climate Change Act and the Philippine

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act. The latter act, for instance, mandates every LGU

to create a local disaster risk reduction and management plan.

House Bill 4926 that provides for an online network establishment policy (or the ONE

Philippines Act, according to its proponents) was passed on third reading. If enacted into law, the

bill will pave the way for nationwide interconnectivity among LGUs, under the coordination of

the DOST-ICT Office. The LGUs will then be able to use the improved connectivity and

interconnectivity to better coordinate and manage DRR efforts.

The problem with the Philippines is not the lack of laws, but lukewarm efforts at awareness

raising and in establishing a sufficient and stable enabling environment.9 Indeed, policy is a key

tool for guiding investment that promotes DRR, but in the Philippines not only is there a lack of

understanding of the costs and benefits of DRR, but there is also a mismatch between

policymaking and local realities. One stark lesson that experts noticed through the years is that

stronger efforts at the international level do not necessarily lead to substantive and rapid results

on the ground and at the local level.

3. Assessment of ICT Readiness and DRM Plans

This section focuses on aspects of e-resilience across all phases of DRM. The section will

discuss: (1) The overall state of the ICT infrastructure; (2) Existing ICT activities relevant to

DRR; (3) ICT programmes and initiatives that enhance DRR; and (4) The Philippine’s

participation in regional DRR systems (including the Asian Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard

Early Warning System). To start, a brief explanation of the concept of e-resilience is given.

3.1 e-Resilience

Resilience refers to the “ability to recover after a disaster as quickly as possible,” and when

considering ICT’s role in DRM, the focus should not only be on aspects related to the technology

per se, but also to the process.10

This includes the process of managing the information and the

technology, of developing human capacity to innovate and harness the potential of the

technologies, and of financing ICT development for DRM. In essence, e-resilience requires an

understanding of these interrelated human and technical components.11

Resilience is defined by the United Nations as, “the ability of a system, community, or society

exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate to, and recover from the effects of a hazard in

a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential

9 Charlotte Benson, Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development: Challenges and Experience in the

Philippines (Geneva, ProVention Consortium, 2009). 10 The definition is based on an interview with Gen. Ojeda, Deputy Director for Cybercrime of the ICT Office. 11 Richard Heeks, Reinventing Government in the Information Age (1999).


basic structures and functions.”12

3.2 State of ICT Infrastructure in the Philippines: Availability, Usage and

Quality

Figure 1: Access to ICTs in the Philippines, 2000-2013

Source: Graph created based on data from the International Telecommunication Union

Like the rest of the world, mobile phones have allowed Filipinos greater access to basic

telecommunication services. Based on data from the International Telecommunication Union,

access to mobile phones per 100 households has grown from only 8 per cent in 2000 to 104.5 per

cent by the end of 2013. In contrast, fixed telephone lines per 100 households have declined

slightly from 4 per cent in 2000 to 3.2 per cent in 2013. Over the same period, fixed broadband

has had a slow and steady growth, but only 2.61 per cent of the population had access to fixed

broadband in 2013 (see Figure 1). Nonetheless, access and use of the Internet among Filipinos

has been growing at a steady and faster pace, from 2.6 per cent in 2000 to almost 40 per cent in

2014 (see Table 4). Given the limited fixed broadband infrastructure in place, it may be safe to

say that it is wireless broadband through mobile devices and public access that is driving this

increased demand and use of the Internet.

12 United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, "Terminology". Available from

http://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/terminology.

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

120.00

fixed telephone per 100

mobile/cellular per 100

fixed (wired) broadbandper 100

% individuals usinginternet


Table 4: Internet growth in the Philippines, 2000-2014

Year Internet users Total population % of population that

are Internet users

2000 2,000,000 78,181,900 2.6

2005 7,820,000 84,174,092 9.3

2008 14,000,000 96,061,683 14.6

2009 24,000,000 97,976,603 24.5

2011 33,600,000 103,775,002 32.4

2012 36.2

2013 37.0

2014 39.7

Sources: http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia/ph.htm (for years 2000-2011); Broadband Commission, The State of

Broadband 2013: Universalizing Broadband (Geneva, 2013); Broadband Commission, The State of Broadband 2014:

Broadband for All (Geneva, 2014); and Broadband Commission, The State of Broadband 2015: Broadband as a

Foundation for Sustainable Development (Geneva, 2015).

Despite the increased demand and use of the Internet among Filipinos, much is left to be desired

with respect to access to broadband infrastructure in the Philippines as compared to the rest of the

world. The Broadband Commission’s 2014 report ranks the Philippines 57th among 132 countries

surveyed in the area of household broadband penetration, with just about 23 out of 100 homes

having access to broadband Internet. This puts the country’s ranking at 110th place in fixed

broadband infrastructure with a 2.6 per cent penetration rate, and 79th in mobile broadband with a

20.3 per cent penetration rate. In terms of Internet user penetration, the Philippines is 106th, with

37 out of 100 Filipinos reported to be having Internet access.

Furthermore, in terms of quality, many independent studies have pointed out the poor quality of

broadband access in the Philippines. The country’s average broadband download speed is only

3.5 Mbps compared to the global average of 18.0 Mbps. Upload speed in the Philippines is 1.3

Mbps compared to the global average of 8.2 Mbps. The quality of mobile broadband is slightly

better with download speed of 3.7 Mbps and upload speed of 1.6 Mbps, compared to the global

average of 7.7 Mbps and 2.8 Mbps, respectively.13

Even when it comes to 4G-LTE technology, a

study by OpenSignal shows that the Philippines has the slowest speed at only 5.3 Mbps.14

Also, a

LIRNEasia Broadband Quality of Service Experience report shows that the Philippines’ basic

data plans gave the lowest value for money compared to all ISPs in South-East Asia and South

Asia that were tested during January to March 2014.15

13 Jose Bimbo F. Santos, "What else is new? PH Internet speed slowest in ASEAN", InterAksyon.com, 20 April 2014.

Available from http://www.interaksyon.com/infotech/what-else-is-new-ph-internet-speed-slowest-in-asean

Xinhua, "Australia has world's fastest LTE mobile Internet, PH slowest among 16 countries - UK survey", 22 February

2014. Available from http://www.interaksyon.com/infotech/australia-has-worlds-fastest-lte-mobile-internet-ph-slowest-

among-16-countries-uk-survey. 15 Based on a report provided by Ms. Grace Mirandilla.

http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia/ph.htm


3.3 Gateways and Telecommunication Backbones16

International Cable Landings Several commercial undersea cable systems connect the Philippines to the rest of the world.

There are seven submarine cable systems landing in the Philippines. These include:

i. Asia Pacific Cable Network (APCN)

ii. Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN-2)

iii. Asia-America Gateway (AAG)

iv. East Asia Crossing (EAC-C2C)

v. Guam - Philippines (G-P)

vi. South-East Asia - Middle East - Western Europe 3 (SEA-ME-WE-3)

vii. Tata TGN Intra-Asia (TGN-IA)

These submarine cable systems are distributed in five cable landing stations in Batangas,

Ballesteros, Capepisa, La Union and Nasugbu (see Figure 2 and Table 5).17

Figure 2: Map of cable landings in the Philippines

Source: http://www.cablemap.info/

16 This section is largely based on a report by Erwin Alampay for LIRNEasia. 17 Submarine Cable Networks. Available from http://www.submarinenetworks.com/stations/asia/philippines.


These cable landing stations were established by different telecommunication operators. The

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) runs three international submarine cable

landing stations:

i. Batangas City (for APCN-2 and SEA-ME-WE-3)

ii. Bauang, La Union (for AAG)

iii. Daet, Camarines Norte (for Asia Submarine-cable Express)

Globe Telecom operates two international submarine cable landing stations:

i. Ballesteros, Cagayan (for TGN-IA)

ii. Nasugbu, Batangas (for a new South-East Asia-Japan Cable to help increase the capacity

and boost the resiliency of the Globe network)

Pacnet’s18

EAC-C2C cable network has dual landings in the Philippines—in Capepisa, Cavite and

Nasugbu, Batangas.

These cable landings are especially important from an economic perspective, given that the

Philippines is one of the world’s top business process outsourcing destinations. These multiple

submarine networks serve as critical components to the business process outsourcing industry by

providing reliable, redundant and diverse links between the Philippines and the rest of the world.

From a DRM perspective, the redundant systems allow for communication to flow, even when

some channels get disconnected.

In 2008, the NTC issued a memorandum circular that called for the mandatory interconnection of

backhaul operations19

to landing sites, as a way of bringing down prices to benefit consumers.

Since the backhaul networks are necessary to bring the traffic to and from international optical

submarine cable systems, the cost of the backhaul networks is part of the prices of international

circuits. This can help bring down prices of services that require international connections like

fixed-line, mobile and text messaging. It also benefits companies that do not have their own cable

landing stations, because it gives them more choices of backhaul networks.

18 Pacnet was acquired by Telstra in 2015. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacnet. 19 Backhaul networks transmit traffic to and from international optical cable systems. This would allow for faster

communication not just within the country, but also between the Philippines and other countries.


Table 5: Summary of submarine cable systems in the Philippines

Submarine

cable

system

Length &

design

capacity

Year

started

Landing

point in

PH

Other landing points

Owner/Maintenance

authorities (PH

authorities in bold)

AAG 20,000 km,

2.88 Tbps

2010 La Union Malaysia, Singapore,

Thailand, Brunei

Darussalam, Viet Nam,

Hong Kong, Guam,

Hawaii and continental

West Coast of USA

AT&T Inc., Bayan,

Bharti, BT Global

Network Services,

CAT Telecom, ETPI,

FPT Telecom, the

Government of Brunei

Darussalam, PT

Indosat, PLDT,

Saigon Postel

Corporation, StarHub,

Telcotech, TELKOM

Indonesia, Telstra,

Telekom Malaysia,

TNZL, Viettel and

VNPT

TGN-IA 6,700 km,

3.84 Tbps

2009 Ballesteros,

Cagayan

Hong Kong, Viet Nam,

Singapore and Japan (with

connectivity via the TGN

Pacific Network to Guam

and USA)

Tata Communications

and Globe

EAC-C2C 19,500 km,

2.5 Tbps

2007 Capepisa Japan, Republic of Korea,

Taiwan, Hong Kong,

Singapore, Viet Nam,

Guam and USA

Pacnet

APCN-2 19,000 km,

2.56 Tbps

2002 Batangas Japan, Republic of Korea,

Taiwan, Hong Kong,

Malaysia and Singapore

CT, Reach NHK,

CTM, TM, Singtel,

KT, NTT Com, KDDI,

PLDT and CHTI

SEA-ME-

WE-3

39,000 km,

960 Gbps

1999 Batangas China, Brunei Darussalam,

Viet Nam, Malaysia,

Singapore and Hong Kong

CT, Reach NHK,

CTM, PLDT, JTB,

MPTC, VNPT, TM

and Singtel

G-P 3,600 km,

40 Gbps

1999 Batangas Guam AT&T and PLDT

APCN 12,084 km,

5 Gbps

1997 Batangas Japan, Republic of Korea,

Taiwan, Hong Kong,

Malaysia, Singapore,

Thailand, Indonesia and

Australia

KT, KDDI, Chunghwa

Telecom International,

PLDT, Reach NHK,

TM, Singtel, CAT and

Indosat


Domestic Networks

There are two large domestic undersea cable systems that form a ring around the country and land

at more than 20 Philippine population centres. Alternative backbone networks were initiated in

1996 by existing telecommunications providers. These are the National Digital Transmission

Network (NDTN) managed by the Telecom Infrastructure of the Philippines (TelicPhil)—a

consortium of seven local exchange carriers,20

and the Domestic Fibre Optic Network (DFON),

owned and operated by PLDT.21

NDTN is a fibre optic backbone that is capable of transmitting about 150,000 simultaneous calls

and runs from La Union in the north through Western Visayas to Davao City in the south. DFON

uses a fibre optic cable network and operates at 2.5 Gbps, applying synchronous digital hierarchy

to provide nationwide digital coverage.

The government also has a national backbone infrastructure because of its municipal telephone

programme that was implemented to establish public calling offices in municipalities across the

country to provide local and long distance services nationwide. This was done through the

participation of both government and private institutions.22

Aside from this, the government also

has the Philippine Research, Education and Government Information Network. It is the country’s

only research and education network that connects academic research and government

institutions, and has links to international research and education networks such as the Asia-

Pacific Advanced Network, the Asian Internet Interconnection Initiatives and the Trans-Eurasia

Information Network 3.

There have been investments in satellite communications in the country in case of disasters or

emergencies. The Mabuhay Philippines Satellite Corporation launched the first Philippine

satellite, the Agila II, in August 1997.23

Satellite technology now links Metro Manila government

stations to all regions of the country.

Internet Exchange

The Philippine Internet Exchange (PhIX), formally launched on 3 July 1997, was the first

interconnection or network access point established in the Philippines by PLDT. PhIX allowed

local ISPs with a primary connection to the global Internet, to access and exchange local Internet

transactions without accessing the global Internet.

By 2002, there were three Internet exchanges in operation, two of which were commercial and

operated by telecommunication companies. After PhIX, the second telco-run exchange was the

Manila Internet Exchange (MIX), operated by the Eastern Telecommunications Philippines

(ETPI). Both PhIX and MIX offered network monitoring and security and were also peered

together. However, some local technology bloggers then noted: “The link between MIX and

20 These were BayanTel, Digitel, ETPI, Extelcom, Globe, PT&T and Smart. 21 Philly, "Philippines and Submarines", Philfaqs, 23 May 2010. Available from http://philfaqs.com/philippines-and-

submarines/. 22 Bree Connally, "Information Technology in the Philippines", 12 December 1999. Available from

http://www1.american.edu/carmel/bree/telecom.html. 23 Ibid.

http://www.apan.net/

http://www.apan.net/

http://www.ai3.net/

http://www.tein3.net/

http://www.tein3.net/


PHIX (was) so congested that it (was) actually faster if the traffic passed international cable

networks!”24

The third exchange was run as a non-profit called Common Routing Exchange or CORE, which

was operated by the Philippine Internet Foundation. It had a lower level of service, although it

was completely free of charge. It was also the very first ISP in the Philippines, having started in

1994.

In order to address the problem of network congestion, the Applied Science and Technology

Institute (ASTI), the R&D arm of DOST, initiated the Philippine Open Internet Exchange

(PHOpenIX) in 2007. This Internet exchange was meant to be operated as a neutral institution as

it was maintained by a consortium of commercial, non-governmental, academic and government

institutions. The significance of the project is that Philippine-based ISPs will be able to route their

traffic locally without depending on their telecommunications providers, especially during major

disasters that could damage undersea cables. Among the major ISPs, only PLDT has not joined

PHOpenIX.25

Cellular Networks

The main mobile network providers in the country use GSM/GPRS networks. They have since

upgraded to 3G/4G services that can be used to access the Internet through mobile phones and

other devices. There are also other next generation networks and other technologies for linking

the last-mile (i.e., ADSL, Wi-Fi, VSAT, Wi-Max, etc.)

As far as coverage is concerned, both Smart and Globe have continued to expand the number of

cell sites and base stations throughout the country, with both already claiming 99 per cent

coverage since 2007 (see Table 6).

Table 6: Mobile phone coverage (base stations, cell sites and coverage)

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Smart Base Stations 5,982 6,099 7,825 8,477 9,727 10,316

Smart Cell Sites 4,305 4,377 5,001 5,284 5,539 6,037

Coverage 82% 99% 99% 99% 99% 99%

Globe Base Stations 10,333 11,660

Globe Cell Sites 5,159 5,884 6,217 6,446 6,226 6,698

Coverage 93% 96% 99% 99% 99% 99% Sources: Annual Reports of SMART and Globe

24 The Rebirth of Philippine Internet Exchanges? 13 January 2007. Available from http://phopenix.net/news/the-rebirth-

of-philippine-internet-echanges/. 25 Personal interview conducted at the ASTI office, U.P. Diliman, on 18 September 2008.


3.4 Resilient Government ICT Systems

While the primary framework for DRR is the current DRM Plan 2011-2028, the national ICT

policy framework for government is the EGMP.

The e-Government Master Plan

The EGMP was developed to operationalize the e-government aspect of the Philippine Digital

Strategy of 2011. The EGMP essentially acknowledges the crucial role that ICT has in

governance and for the delivery of public services.

The following are the focus areas extracted from the EGMP that are related to DRM:

1. Transparent government/open governance, with the key actions related to this being –

Improved government ICT infrastructure, systems and ICT-related procedures.

Enhanced services.

Increased access of government data to the public.

2. Internet for all/digital inclusion –

Implementation of national connectivity and broadband development.

Establish information and communication infrastructure: disaster mitigation and

management, public education, public health and other sectoral concerns.

Public shared access: community e-centres.

Green ICTs: e-waste, ICTs and climate change.

To undertake these focus areas, the EGMP identifies the following building blocks: (1) The

governance system for the various information systems that will be involved; (2) The basic

infrastructure that would include broadband access, registries and data centres that need to be

interoperable; and (3) Applications that would run these core services (see Figure 3).

Figure 3: The building blocks of e-government in the EGMP


For the purposes of this report, we will look at the state of the infrastructure, registries and

services as applicable in DRM-CCA and framed under the latest DRM plan.

3.5 ICT for DRM

The current EGMP makes no specific mention to the use of ICT for DRM. However, the basic

foundational infrastructure and shared services that apply to it (see the three foundations/base of

the diagram in Figure 3) are expected to deliver public service, which includes DRM services.

The basic e-government infrastructure discussed in the EGMP comprises the following:

Fibre Optic Network – One of the projects of the EGMP is the Integrated Government

Philippines (iGovPhil) Project.26

This project is tasked to provide the necessary

infrastructure and software needed for e-governance. The infrastructure includes the

creation of data centres and layout of fibre optic networks to interconnect government

offices and provide high-speed communication and sharing of tasks and data. Software

includes online tools, services and applications for use by government agencies and

citizens. With fibre optic technology, government agencies will have access to the

Internet and the iGovPhil network at bandwidths and speeds that most commercial

service providers offer, but at a much lower cost.

Initially, iGovPhil will tap into existing fibre connections used by some government

agencies in the EGMP to create a fibre optic network in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.

Eventually, this will be expanded to connect all government offices across the country.

According to ASTI, the lines have already been laid out, and had targeted the last quarter

of 2015 to light the network up. There are plans for eight other regions of the country to

have their own fibre optic networks, and eventually all these will be interconnected.

The ICT Office’s main data centre is in Quezon City, and a commercial back-up of their

data centre is in Makati. A third data centre is planned in Subic. Subic’s location is

strategic from a resiliency standpoint as it is not co-located in Manila, but it is one of the

international cable landing points. Subic is in a relatively high geographical area and

therefore not flood prone. It is also relatively isolated from the population, which adds to

its security.

Government Cloud or GovCloud – Participating government agencies will be provided

access to modules and software through a cloud service—a platform that the

government’s email system, payment system, records management system, public key

infrastructure, and other hosting and communication services will be operating on.

Through the GovCloud, agencies will be able to share resources, hardware and software

over the network connected to the data centre. In terms of resiliency, having a centralized

system allows for better security of the data as well as the network.

26 Find out more about iGovPhil at http://i.gov.ph/.


The capacity for information security management in many government agencies and

departments is very low as pointed out in the latest resource survey conducted and

mentioned in the EGMP. The survey shows that only 72 per cent of the agencies have

back-up power, and only 55 per cent have a software firewall (see Table 7 for full survey

results). Hence, even from a basic, non-natural disaster perspective, much of the basic

information that many government agencies keep is already vulnerable to various

possible technical (e.g., power outages, file damage) and human (e.g., hacking) factors.

Table 7: Security and recovery measures undertaken by government agencies and

departments

Protection / Measure Count %

Back-up power unit 214 72

Software firewall 163 55

Subscription to a security service 160 54

Security policy/guidelines 139 47

Physically restricted access to critical ICT equipment 136 46

Hardware firewall 127 43

Secure servers 123 42

Storage of back-up media 97 33

Off-site back-up 55 19

Encryption 51 17

Regular ICT security training of employees 49 17

Disaster recovery plan 41 14

Digital signatures 18 6

Others 11 4 Source: EGMP

In July 2013, the government issued Administrative Order 59, mandating the migration of

all government websites to the government’s more secure Government Web Hosting

Service after a spate of cyberattacks from overseas.

TV White Space – TV white space refers to the unused TV channels between the active

ones in the VHF and UHF frequencies. These channels can be used to access broadband

Internet connectivity at a low cost. Currently, the Philippines has 24-31 unused TV

channels in the rural areas, and 18 in Metro Manila.

The DOST-ICT Office proposes to adopt and deploy TV white space technologies for

providing broadband-based public services and for developmental interventions such as

telemedicine, educational content delivery, rural last-mile connectivity and environmental

sensor networks. During a disaster, TV white space can allow citizens to access

broadband Internet services, even when fibre optics and cable connections are down.

DOST has been conducting trials in the Visayas Region, including in areas hit by

Typhoon Haiyan such as Leyte Province, and in Bohol that was hit by an earthquake in

2013. Based on the trials, the ICT Office has developed guidelines for scaling up the use


of TV white space nationwide. According to ASTI, with the available bandwidth in TV

white space, it can provide voice and even video communication should the need arise in

an emergency situation.

Integrated System for Digital Broadcast TV – There is a planned transition of TV

channels from analogue to digital transmissions (see Memorandum Circular 0511-2013).

This will require TV stations to change their transmitters, and viewers to change their TV

systems. But once this is done, this system can also be used to broadcast early warning

messages via digital TV.27

3.6 Revised Building Code Standards

Last but not least, consistent with the government’s call to ‘build back better’, one of the lessons

learned from the Philippines’ experience in Typhoon Yolanda is that certain building standards

need to be revisited. This includes standards on how the ICT infrastructure itself is developed in

the future. In the Philippines, where mobile services are crucial for universal access strategies,

this means having mobile towers that are resistant to the strongest of winds. According to the ICT

Office and experts from the private sector, telecommunication towers should now be able to

withstand typhoon winds of 250-300 km per hour.

4. Trends in Applications

This section provides some examples of ICT applications in the four phases of DRM

4.1 ICTs in Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

The lead agency involved in disaster prevention and mitigation is DOST. One of the desired

outcomes for this phase of DRM is end-to-end monitoring, forecasting and early warning

systems. In this regard, there are a number of initiatives that DOST carries out that can be cited.

Foremost among these are Project NOAH and arQ.

Project NOAH

Project NOAH or the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards was initiated as a response

to President Aquino’s challenge to put in place a programme for:

Communities situated in the country’s 18 major river systems;

Enhancement of geo-hazard maps; and

Enhancement of storm surge vulnerability maps.

27 Based on an interview with Gen. Ojeda, Deputy Director for Cybercrime of the ICT Office.


As such, Project NOAH’s goal is to provide high-resolution flood hazard maps, and install 600

automated rain gauges and 400 water-level measuring stations for 18 major river basins28

of the

Philippines. The other river basins of the Philippines will also be mapped, after the work on the

18 major river basins is completed.

The hazard maps are produced with computer simulations that show flood-prone areas at a local

scale. These maps are needed for localized emergency responses, identification of evacuation and

access routes, road closures during disaster events, siting of key rescue facilities, and

comprehensive land-use planning.29

For this, Project NOAH uses various data sources to provide the appropriate lead time for various

weather disturbances (e.g., local thunderstorms, monsoon rains, tropical cyclones). Data sources

include: (1) Satellite data five days before landfall; (2) Doppler radar 24 hours before land fall;

(3) Auto rain gauges 6-9 hours before flooding; and (4) Water level sensors 3-6 hours before

flooding.

There are nine components under Project NOAH are as follows:

i. Hydromet Sensors Development

ii. DREAM-LIDAR 3-D Mapping Project (includes Rapid Flood Simulation)

iii. Flood NET – Flood Modelling Project

iv. Hazards Information Media

v. Geo-hazards Mapping through LIDAR

vi. Doppler System Development

vii. Landslide Sensors Development Project

viii. Storm Surge Inundation Mapping Project

ix. Weather Information Integration for System Enhancement

The storm surge inundation maps produced under component 8 are important for improved

disaster mitigation. Such maps were produced for Leyte, Bohol, Eastern Samar and Iloilo

provinces.

Advanced Remote Data-acquisition Unit (arQ)

At the heart of DOST’s DRM system is the arQ, which is composed of low-powered devices that

can store, acquire and process data gathered from various sensors in the field. According to ASTI,

there are over thousands deployed and scattered all over the Philippines.

In terms of resiliency, the arQ has an on-board volatile memory, capable of storing a year’s

quantity of data. It is IP67-rated for outdoor use, and consumes low amounts of power. The arQ’s

constituent devices have redundant power schemes with two in-built high capacity rechargeable

lithium polymer batteries as the primary power source, and an external solar supply as secondary

power. Also, over-the-air programming is possible for remote firmware upgrades.

28 The 18 river basins are: Marikina River, Cagayan de Oro River, Iligan River, Agno River, Pampanga River, Bicol

River, Cagayan River, Agusan River, Panay River, Magaswang Tubig River, Jalaur River, Ilog-Hilabangan River,

Agus River, Davao River, Mindanao River, Tagum-Libuganon River, Tagaloan River and Buayan-Malungun River. 29 DOST - Project NOAH website. Available from http://noah.dost.gov.ph/.


This system includes automated weather stations, meteorological buoys, automated rain gauges,

agro-meteorological stations, water level monitoring stations and tsunami early warning system

(the Philippines currently has five of these in pre-identified tsunami prone areas).

Nababaha.com

Nababaha.com30

is a non-profit project of members of the volcano-tectonics laboratory of the

National Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of the Philippines.

The project developed flood hazard maps from flood simulations using Flo2d—a U.S. Federal

Emergency Management Agency approved flood routing application software. The flood maps

were simulated using rainfall delivered by tropical storm Ondoy on 26 September 2009 over 3

arc-second topography from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The rainfall event is

considered an extreme event that can generate floods with a 100-150 year return period. These

hazard maps are indicative inundation maps for large flood events, and useful only for knowing

which places to avoid during extremely heavy rainfall. For local governments, these flood hazard

maps can be used for localized emergency responses (i.e., evacuation and access routes; road

closures; siting of key rescue facilities) and for urban planning. It should not be used for

insurance and bank appraisal purposes.

These hazard maps are only as good as the topographic map base that was used in the flood

simulation. Detailed and more accurate flood hazard maps of any city can be conducted upon

requests to the flood simulation team at the National Institute of Geological Sciences.

PHIVOLCS Information Portal and Hazard Maps

One of the agencies attached to DOST is the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology

(PHIVOLCS). The key mandates of PHIVOLCS that are closely related to DRM are carried out

through its Volcano, Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction

Programme. The following are all the major programmes that PHIVOLCS is currently

implementing:

Earthquake Generation Potential of Active Faults and Trenches

Earthquake Hazards and Risk Assessment

Eruption and Magmatic History of Volcano Systems

Leadership Enhancement and Development

National Earthquake Monitoring and Information

National Tsunami Monitoring and Early Warning

National Volcano Monitoring and Warning

Strategic Human Resource Management and Development

Strategic Performance Assessment and Development for Excellence

Volcanic Hazards and Risk Assessment

Volcano, Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction

PHIVOLCS introduced the ‘Information Portal for Philippine Earthquake and Volcano’ on 15

September 2014. The overall goal of the five-year programme is to enhance the capabilities of

30 See http://www.nababaha.com/.


DRM authorities and related organizations to respond to earthquake and volcano disasters

through the proposed four components namely: (1) Real-time earthquake monitoring; (2)

Evaluation of earthquake generation potential; (3) Integrated real-time volcano monitoring; and

(4) Provision of disaster mitigation information and promotion of utilization.

Following a series of joint meetings with partner agencies, including the Japan International

Cooperation Agency-Japan Science and Technology Agency, and the National Research Institute

for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, PHIVOLCS came up with a prototype of the portal,

which will be available for public viewing in the near future.

PHIVOLCS has also been creating earthquake and volcano hazard maps. PHIVOLCS and Kyoto

University have been mapping the Philippine Fault Zone since 2003, and to date, 90 per cent of

the on-land stretch of the Philippine Fault Zone has been mapped based on available large-scale

aerial photographs. In areas where there are no available aerial photographs, various satellite

images are used to map the fault zone. The identified surface traces of the fault zone are then

plotted onto 1:50,000 topographic maps published by the National Mapping and Resource

Information Authority, and compiled using GIS platforms such as MapInfo Professional and the

Generic Mapping Tool.

4.2 ICTs in Disaster Preparedness

OCD’s Disaster Information for Nationwide Awareness Project (Project DINA)31

Project DINA is the Philippines’ proof of commitment to the realization of the Hyogo Framework

for Action’s Priority Action 3: Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of

safety and resilience at all levels. Project DINA developed and disseminated DRR information to

the public, including audio-visual materials on what to do before, during and after earthquakes,

tsunami, tropical cyclones, landslides, floods, volcanic eruptions, and fires. The project launched

its website on 6 November 2013, allowing the public to access all of Project DINA’s materials

online on its website.32

Weather Forecasting

The lead agency for weather forecasting is PAGASA, a scientific and technological services

institute under DOST. Its mission is to provide weather, flood, climate and astronomical products

and services to promote people’s safety and well-being, and contribute to national development.33

PAGASA’s ISP network ensures fast back-up and reliable Internet connections (three ISPs

connected to a load balancing router, its operations connected by a 1GB fibre optic connection

between its weather forecasting and flood forecasting operations) to its main administrative

office, which is also connected to another ISP. It has an FTP server that links with various

31 Project DINA's website. Available from http://ocd.gov.ph/index.php/project-dina. 32 Carmela Fonbuena, "Project DINA: It may save your life", Rappler, 6 November 2013. Available from

http://www.rappler.com/nation/43037-project-dina-disaster-website-launched. 33 A presentation on PAGASA. Available from

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/wcp/wcasp/documents/workshop/pune2015PPT/day1/Session4-Philippines.pdf.


forecast and warning systems, and through which it issues local forecasts/warnings through

PAGASA’s regional centres. PAGASA is also connected to the Global Telecommunication

System as global connections are needed for the rapid collection, exchange and distribution of

observations and processed information within the framework of the World Weather Watch. It is

also part of the Regional Meteorological Telecommunications Network for Region V (South-

West Pacific).34

Forecasts, warnings and other information are disseminated by PAGASA through TV and radio

broadcasts, SMS blasts, and various online tools such as email, Facebook and Twitter. Warnings

are disseminated to the general public, as well as to those in the aviation and shipping industry.

At present, the warning systems include the rainfall warning system and the thunderstorm

warning system. There is also an early warning and monitoring system for flood supported by the

Korea International Cooperation Agency.35

OCD’s National Cell Broadcast System

The national cell broadcast system allows text messages to be sent to a large number of mobile

phone subscribers in near real-time with location specific information. It is part of a nationwide

early warning system for the public and can be used to disseminate critical information before,

during and after any disaster scenario. The text messages sent out are free of charge.

4.3 ICTs in Disaster Response

NDRRMC’s Intelligent Operations Center

Typhoon Yolando exposed the weak communication system of the NDRRMC. It did not have a

radio communication system, and its satellite communications equipment was only available in

Luzon.36

Thus on 5 May 2014, the NDRRMC announced the establishment of an Intelligent

Operations Centre (IOC), a 600m2, state-of-the-art communications facility that can withstand

disasters of even Typhoon Yolanda’s magnitude.37

This initiative is supported by SMS Global

Technologies, and includes the construction of the IOC building, and provision of an emergency

communication vehicle, and relevant management and technical training to personnel at the IOC.

The plan is for the IOC to be a central hub where all the information can be integrated, processed,

consolidated and aggregated for specific areas, in order for the government to make critical

decisions during disasters. The IOC building, which will be located within the premises of Camp

Aguinaldo, the central military headquarters, is estimated to cost PHP 300 million (USD 6.5

million).

34 R. P. Canillo, "ICT for Disaster Risk Management", presentation made at the Workshop on ICT for Disaster Risk

Management for ASEAN at Quezon City, the Philippines on 11-12 December 2013. 35 Ibid. 36 This was according to Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Sadang, who then headed the OCD Operations Division. 37 Voltaire Tupaz, "Disaster agency gets modern communications facility post-Yolanda", Rappler, 5 May 2014.

Available from http://www.rappler.com/nation/57270-nDRMc-acquires-modern-communications-facility-post-yolanda.


Government Emergency Communication Programme

With the implementation of Project NOAH in 2011, DOST through the ICT Office has also been

tasked to ensure the smooth tracking, exchange and use of critical information prior to, during

and after a natural calamity.

ICT Office’s Government Emergency Communication Programme adopts a three-pronged

approach:

i. Procurement/provisioning of mobile/portable emergency communication

equipment/facilities like mobile ICT, satellite phones and modern HF radios;

ii. The immediate deployment of mobile/portable emergency communications equipment to

areas hit by natural calamities. This would include deployment to selected ICT offices,

OCD, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other concerned agencies;

and

iii. The development of an Operations Manual for the ICT Office on reducing vulnerabilities

and increasing resiliency.

With this programme, the ICT Office aims to shorten the time it takes to reach those affected by

disasters and improve disaster response efforts through enhanced communication and enhanced

capacity of the telecommunications team. According to Col. Sadang of the OCD, NDRRMC

should ideally have the capacity to deploy at least six rapid telecommunications teams, and each

team should be equipped with the following:

Satellite phones (10 units)

VHF base radios (6 units)

HF radios (6 units)

VHF handheld radios (30 units)

Mobile phones (10 units)

Mobile generators (2 sets)

Solar-powered mobile phones (6 sets)

Integrators (2 sets)

Pocket Wi-Fi (6 sets)

Tool kits (6 sets)

Laptops (5 units)

Drones (2 units)

A public announcement system

NDRRMC National Text Blast System

This communication system connects about 100,000 disaster managers throughout the

Philippines, allowing NDRRMC to rapidly send free SMS messages, including advisories and

announcements, and be able to receive feedback, comments, queries and other messages. This

service is only available to pre-registered SMART subscribers.


eBayanihan Project

eBayanihan is a DOST-funded project to develop a Nationwide Participatory SMS-Web Based

Disaster Reporting System. This system is created by the Ateneo de Manila University Social

Computing Science Lab. What it does is to crowdsource information and situation reports via

SMS from all networks to eBayanihan. To participate, citizens are instructed to use the following

reporting format:

POST [KEYWORD], [URGENCY], [STREET BRGY MUNICIPALITY/CITY], [DETAILS OF

SITUATION]

Among the keywords it tracks are: Accidents, Barangays, Bridges, Brownouts, Earthquake,

Evacuate, Fire, Flood, Landslide, Rain, Relief, Rescue, Road and Wind.

Batingaw Mobile App

Batingaw is the Filipino word for siren or alarm. The Batingaw mobile application for iOS and

Android devices was developed by NDRRMC in partnership with Smart Communications and

Tudlo Innovation Solutions.

The mobile app can be used to give government agencies, organizations and individuals

immediate access to disaster warnings, advisories, location data and disaster mappings. It features

step-by-step instructions that can guide users to safety during disasters. The app also enables

users to contribute information to emergency agencies more easily and quickly.38

Among its

features are the following:

Access and links to government agencies and NGOs’ websites and Twitter feeds

Description of the different hazards

Safety tips (before, during and after disasters)

Digital tools (siren, flashlights, compass, strobe, e-library, FM and AM radio)

Contact numbers of national responders

Location maps with different layers on responders, warehouses, schools, evacuation

centres and hospitals

4.4 ICTs in Disaster Recovery

One of the things the public demands from the government’s post-disaster recovery work is

greater transparency in terms of how funds for disaster relief and recovery are used, whether this

is from taxpayers’ money or from individual, group or corporate donations. In this regard, there

are two information systems to note: the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAiTH) and the Track

Recovery System.

38 Smart Communications, "OCD-NDRRMC, SMART launch Batingaw mobile app", press release, 21 July 2014.

Available from http://smart.com.ph/About/newsroom/press-releases/2014/07/25/ocd-ndrrmc-smart-launch-batingaw-

mobile-app.


FAiTH39

FAiTH is an online portal with information on calamity aid and assistance pledged or given by

countries, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs and private entities to the Philippine

government. Information on donations through the Commission on Filipinos Overseas’ Lingkod

sa Kapwa Pilipino Programme and through Philippine embassies are also available on the portal.

FAiTH was launched to track foreign aid for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda, but ultimately the

portal is intended for tracking foreign aid received for all calamities. FAiTH only tracks

assistance given to the Philippine government’s implementing agencies. This covers cash

donations as well as non-cash donations (such as medical equipment, medicines, relief goods,

etc.) to the OCD, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and other agencies. Aid

pledged to NGOs and intergovernmental organizations are only monitored insofar as they are

reported to have been pledged for such organizations, but FAiTH does not track the use of the

aid.

Track Recovery System

The Track Recovery System is an initiative of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and

Recovery (PARR)40

to allow the public to track the funds that are given for post-Yolanda

recovery, and at the same time, hold implementing agencies accountable to demonstrate results

on the ground.

The plan is for the system to initially track post-Yolanda recovery efforts, but it is envisioned that

the system will be used to monitor the recovery from calamities in the future. PARR is

collaborating with relevant government agencies like the Department of Budget and Management

and the National Economic Development Authority for data.

While FAiTH only tracks foreign aid to the Philippine government, the Track Recovery System

will track projects of all implementing entities including national government, LGUs, NGOs and

the private sector. These implementing entities will be able to use the Track Recovery System for

their monitoring, mapping and reporting needs. In terms of the coverage and period, the Track

Recovery System will include the financial and physical status update of programmes and

projects during the recovery phase, while FAiTH only reports on the financial status of pledges

made during emergency response.

Another useful portal for information on response and recovery programmes and projects is a

United Nations site called Humanitarian Response. The portal has a section dedicated to response

and recovery information in the Philippines.41

39 See http://www.gov.ph/faith/. 40 After Typhoon Yolanda, the government created the position of Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and

Recovery (PARR). The PARR was tasked to unify the efforts of government and other agencies involved in post-

Yolanda rehabilitation and recovery. In performing its mandate, the PARR coordinates with the NDRRMC and

consults with LGUs. 41 See http://www.humanitarianresponse.info/operations/philippines.


iGovPhil

An important aspect of disaster recovery is the recovery of vital information that is needed for

government to function. Hence, the iGovPhil Project of the EGMP includes making sure that the

needed government information about its citizens, and services connected to them, can be

reconstructed and made accessible as soon as possible. The project involves establishing

registries of citizens, businesses, land and transportation; and the archiving and digitization of

government records. Secure and duplicate records are crucial for rapid system recovery for

government functions to operate quickly post-disaster.

The iGovPhil is a flagship project of the DOST implemented through its attached agencies—the

ICT Office and ASTI. The project will provide the necessary infrastructure, support services and

applications needed for e-governance. The infrastructure includes the government data centres

and fibre optic networks to interconnect government offices, and provide high-speed

communication for the sharing of tasks and data. It also has online security tools, services and

applications for use by government agencies and citizens.

The iGovPhil will digitize paper-based documents and records and, more importantly, develop

systems that will manage these documents—from creation, routing, tracking, archiving to

disposal—while adhering to existing policies, laws and ISO standards as defined by the National

Archives of the Philippines. The project is composed of four components: (1) the Archives and

Records Management Information System; (2) the Agency Records Inventory System; (3) Data

Registry; and (4) Digitization.

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

Previous studies have identified key ICT tools that are relevant for DRM. These include radio and

television, telephone (fixed and mobile), SMS, satellite radio, Internet/email, amateur and

community radio, and GIS and remote sensing.42

Many of these are already being used in the

Philippines, especially for monitoring weather and keeping the public informed. Also, based on

the inventory of available laws, executive issuances and legislative efforts, it is clear that the

Philippines is not very far behind in terms of policy. But as experts have warned, ICT is a tool

and not a panacea for all disaster-related concerns.

A problem ailing DRM efforts in the country is the apparent disconnect between policy and

reality. On paper, the laws look good and provide for legal mechanisms needed to prepare the

country for disasters. In practice, however, these laws have to give in to the realities of

governance problems and limited and vulnerable infrastructure to enforce them. A high level of

policy commitment by government—commitment that is impervious to change in administrations

and political shifts—is also necessary.

42 Chanuka Wattegama, ICT for Disaster Management (Bangkok, UNDP-APDIP and UN-APCICT, 2007), Available

from http://www.unapcict.org/ecohub/resources/ict-for-disaster-management/; and Christine Apikul, ed., ICT for

Disaster Risk Reduction, ICTD Case Study 2 (Incheon, UN-APCICT, 2010), Available from

http://www.unapcict.org/ecohub/ict-for-disaster-risk-reduction-1.


Interestingly, some experts consider the Philippines’ legal framework as an example of good

policy linkage in addressing both the issues of climate change and DRM.43

But more needs to be

done. The critical challenge is how to sustain political will to ensure policy stability once the

legal bases have been set in place. A devastating storm or earthquake can rouse the public and

prompt government to act, but a vigilant public and quality leadership are the real impetus for

policy commitment.

Needless to say, any policy—be it in promoting ICT or addressing DRM in general—should take

into account the country’s ability to narrow the information and digital divide. But, as Padojinog44

reminds us, closing the divide entails not just increasing the ICT capability of users or increasing

ICT usage. It also involves improving access and affordability for consumers through

competition, interconnection and convergence in the ICT sector. Similarly, resiliency is not just

about being better prepared, but requires a transformation so that adaptive practices become the

new mode for business operations, including those in the ICT sector.45

5.1 Recommendations

1. Formulate an ICT plan for DRM that is integrated and coordinated with

existing DRM and climate change policies and programmes.

As previously mentioned, the Philippines does not lack laws that provide the framework for

DRM. What is conspicuously absent, however, is a single unified strategy that ties and

coordinates policies for stakeholders. In 2013, the EGMP was crafted to serve as a blueprint for

the integration of ICTs for the whole of government. The plan is commendable in recognizing

that interoperability and harmony of operation is not solely a technical concern, but an

organizational matter that needs to be addressed. It also recognizes the need to have centralized

and redundant databases and registries, linked together in a more localized infrastructure that can

be properly secured and backed-up. These features are necessary to make sure government

systems remain resilient in all contingencies, not just natural hazards. Government is undoubtedly

a prime mover of change, but in the larger scheme of things it is only one element.

Consistent with this study, it is recommended that the formulation of a comprehensive ICT plan

for DRR should take into account existing policies, programmes and standards that unify efforts

in a coherent strategy. The need for such a single, unified plan finds its logic in the very definition

of resilience as a core approach in managing disaster risks that addresses DRR, as well as CCA,

social protection and humanitarian responses, towards achieving sustainable development.

The EGMP, as discussed earlier, allocates R&D funds for mission critical projects, including the

development of the national safety and management system. A truly “resilient” policy, however,

43 Sivia Llosa and Irina Zodrow, Disaster Risk Reduction Legislation as a Basis for Effective Adaptation, Global

Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (Geneva, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction,

2011). 44 Winston Conrad B. Padojinog, The Philippine Information and Communication Technology Sector: Evolving

Structure and Emerging Policy Issues, Discussion Paper Series No. 2005-29 (Makati, Philippine Institute for

Development Studies, 2005). 45 Angelica V. Ospina, David Faulkner and Keith Dickerson, Resilient Pathways: The Adaptation of the ICT Sector to

Climate Change (Geneva, International Telecommunication Union, 2014).


is one that addresses not just the issue of fiscal commitment, but invites inputs from other

relevant actors, such as civil society and the private sector. Current e-government applications, in

fact, does not appear to be proceeding in accordance with the EGMP due to the absence of

implementing guidelines to coordinate efforts across agencies; aside from internal resistance

within some organizations for this change. Web presence, even in the government, remains

underdeveloped. Funds for the promotion of e-governance, on the other hand, still exhibit a low

rate of absorption. There is also a noticeable duplication of efforts by other stakeholders such as

NGOs and private businesses, not only in DRM efforts but also in the use of ICTs for

coordinating such efforts (social media, in particular).

A comprehensive and integrated ICT-for-DRM plan should be neither a summary of issues for

multi-stakeholder discussions nor an academic paper to spur research. Rather, it must be a living

framework aimed not just at policymakers but those at the receiving end of every disaster or

policy—the citizens. Specifically, it should take into account, but is not necessarily limited to the

following:

Assess existing structures and procedures, including building code standards and risks of

current ICT development projects, through proper stakeholder participation.

Make an inventory of existing and critical ICT infrastructure, and recommend ways in

which they can be developed in accordance with the resiliency framework; such that they

are integrated, made interoperable through standards, and made more resilient to multi-

hazards (e.g., through back-up and improved cybersecurity).

Provide a framework for protecting citizens who use ICT legitimately, as well as an

equitable and enforceable system of remedy for harm caused by ICT use.

Develop alternative ICT channels, along with proper protocols, in case of a failure of the

main communication systems.

Provide a mechanism for informing citizens about new ICT tools and how they are being

deployed in support of public services.

Provide and enforce legislation to pave the way for an enabling environment for business

and investors to take advantage of ICT in their own resiliency initiatives.

Provide alternatives and complements to ICT for citizens accessing government services.

Formulate and develop a comprehensive set of multi-hazard disaster and continuity plans

that assume the failure of ICT.

Provide a plan of action that emphasizes capacity building in the use of ICT for DRM.

Design and implement a career system for government DRM and ICT personnel that

realize higher monetary and non-monetary benefits to ensure that these human resources

that are crucial to create an effective and resilient DRM and CCA programme, are

retained.

2. Strengthen the enabling policy environment for enhancing ICT in DRM and

CCA.

It is not enough to have laws and programmes, especially in a political context where policy

commitment and stability can also be a concern. An observation that reverberates in many reports

and assessments about the state of ICT in the Philippines is its poor infrastructure.


In 2009, the Philippines already reported a mobile telephony penetration rate of 100 per cent,

suggesting universal mobile access for every Filipino. Yet, the problems of poor connection and

service quality remain a concern, especially with respect to broadband. In reality, mobile and

mobile Internet services are still limited in geographic reach, and largely benefit the urbanized

population of the country.46

As experts have long noted, the gap is largely physical. Recent worldwide tests conducted from

March-April 2014 by NetIndex show that the average download speed in the Philippines is only

about 3.5 Mbps and the average upload speed is 1.4 Mbps. This makes it the slowest Internet

connection speed in the ASEAN region. In comparison, Singapore’s download speed is 61 Mbps,

and Japan’s 22.3 Mbps.47

Speed matters, of course, considering that an additional Mbps in

broadband speed can spell the difference between basic email and live streaming. Imagine the

potential for areas such as telemedicine, geo-hazard mapping, and real-time evacuation efforts

with just half of the broadband speed of Singapore or Japan.

An enabling environment implies a business climate that allows companies to invest not just in

accessible technologies, but on resilient processes. It is pertinent for the government, at least in

the short run, to relax the regulatory environment for ICT companies to encourage more private

participation. Short-term policies may include tax breaks and exemptions for companies that are

willing to invest in R&D of emerging ICT technology. In the long run, the government should

take an active role in developing the country’s infrastructural landscape, either through direct

investment or through public-private partnerships.

3. Promote public-private partnerships in the sharing of resources and

information, and in facilitating better coordination during disasters.

The government cannot do everything on its own. Infrastructure, as a public good, naturally

requires massive fiscal reallocations and is susceptible to the hierarchy of priorities.

A mechanism for more coordinated efforts, specifically those that promote public-private

partnerships are needed, especially since many of the Philippines’ ICT infrastructures are

controlled by private providers, and citizens likewise provide useful feedback and participate (or

volunteer) directly in DRM work.

Government can prioritize providing public goods in areas where market participation is

relatively young. For instance, government can support shared access facilities (the development

of community e-centres or hubs envisioned in current legislative proposals), especially in remote

or economically marginalized communities. Broadband infrastructure deployment and

development is another area where private sector initiative will likely have a more substantial

impact. At present, broadband penetration in the Philippines remains low, and the quality is far

from the global broadband averages. Some have called for opening the sector to foreign

competition as a way of further invigorating private sector investments and initiatives to allow the

country to transition to better, more accessible and reliable broadband services. In poor countries,

where overall financing of disaster mitigation intervention is a concern, donor agencies highly

46 ICT Office, The Philippine Digital Strategy Transformation 2: Digitally Empowered Nation (Quezon City, 2012), p.

134. 47 Jose Bimbo F. Santos, "What else is new? PH Internet speed slowest in ASEAN", InterAksyon.com, 20 April 2014.

Available from http://www.interaksyon.com/infotech/what-else-is-new-ph-internet-speed-slowest-in-asean.


encourage the introduction of DRR resource streams as an affirmative action measure within the

budgetary framework of DRR policies.48

The current private-public partnership is still replete with many challenges. Nonetheless, ICT

adoption in the current DRM framework is possible, if accompanied by necessary investments

and active efforts to integrate initiatives into the overall national development strategy.49

4. Prioritize resilience

Climate change is likely to increase the incidence of natural hazards with escalating cost

implications. Moreover, human-induced disasters, such as information security threats and

cyberterrorism, are on the rise. Thus, it is more important than ever for the Philippine

Government to prioritize the development of more resilient ICT-for-DRM systems.

Prioritizing financial resources in building resilience should be seen as an investment and not a

cost. However, it encompasses more than increasing financial outlays in and strengthening of

hard infrastructure such as data centres, electrical grids and power stations, fibre optic networks

and other ICTs, but also includes making robust soft infrastructure such as information systems,

human resources and knowledge.50

The advantage of resilient infrastructure—whether soft or hard—is that they are not just able to

withstand natural hazards and disasters, but they are also better equipped to recover quickly

during and after crises. Lastly, resilient ICTs provide stability and continuity to the operations of

the most important systems, especially during a crisis.51

In the Philippines, public sector planning for and investment in resilience is still a work in

progress. While ICT resiliency is currently nascent and inadequate, there is, however, a growing

awareness of the importance of prioritizing resilience strategies, and this is indicated in various

DRR policies and programmes. An example of the Philippine Government’s commitment to

adopt resilient risk reduction and management policies is the EO 888 that was issued on 7 June

2010. The EO provides for the adoption of the strategic national action plan, which is

encapsulated in 18 projects that include information and database generation (under the

coordination of OCD and DOST); the information, education and communication campaign (to

be undertaken by the Philippine Information Agency); and the development of forecasting and

early warning systems (to be spearheaded by DOST).

It is in this light that the Philippine Government, through the DOST, must see through the full

implementation of its EGMP; specifically those items that enhance the resilience of critical ICT

infrastructure to mitigate the impact of disasters and adapt to climate change. Given its

importance to all phases of DRM, the EGMP’s implementation should promote not just

48 United Nations Development Programme, Effective Law and Regulation for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Multi-

Country Report (New York, 2014). 49 Jennifer Giroux, Florian Roth, and Michel Herzog, Using ICT and Social Media in Disasters: Opportunities and

Risks for Government (Zurich, Center for Security Studies, 2013). 50 Asian Development Bank, Investing in resilience: Ensuring a disaster-resistant future (Mandaluyong City, 2013). 51 Siemens AG, "Study finds cities could save billions of dollars by investing in resilience”, press release, 18 April

2013. Available from

http://www.siemens.com/press/en/pressrelease/?press=/en/pressrelease/2013/corporate/axx20130428.htm.


continuity, but also interoperability, robustness, redundancy and reliability of ICT infrastructure

and of ICT-enabled services and products when a disaster strikes.52

As such, this would also require the formulation of a government continuity plan, patterned after

the business continuity plans in the private sector. In the Philippines, the private sector has taken

the lead in formulating and implementing business continuity plans while government has lagged

behind. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

suggests that government continuity plans should consider assessing vulnerabilities and defining

critical infrastructure for ICT, as strategies for resiliency would be different for hard

infrastructure such as data centres and soft infrastructure such e-government software.

Government continuity plans should also encompass governmental assets and human resources in

an effective and integrated way. Moreover, government continuity plans should be tested

regularly, validated through simulations, and updated to take into account technical and other

changes over time.53

iGovPhil is a start, but its impacts will only be felt if more government

departments and agencies migrate its systems and comply with efforts on information systems

harmonization.

Lastly, in the liberalized economic context of the Philippines where the private sector owns or

controls a number of critical infrastructures, it would also be beneficial for government to

consider collaborative arrangements such as public-private partnerships to bolster its continuity

plan for ICT resilience for DRM.

5. Build capacity in the use of ICT for DRM and CCA

In a recent focus group discussion on crisis management, attended by senior government officials

in the Philippines, the challenge of enhancing and sustaining the country’s capacity to collect,

assess and use ICT-derived information, and use ICT applications for DRM were identified as

key concerns. The consensus amongst participants at the focus group discussion was that while

investing in appropriate technology for DRM was strategic, a greater emphasis should also be

placed on the sustained and long-term development of capacities of the government’s human

resources for DRM and CCA. The goal is to develop and broaden the pool of skilled human

resources that possess expertise in both DRM, and ICT for DRM and CCA.

Capacity building in the use of ICT for DRM and CCA will require significant government

investments in enhancing disaster risk managers and first responders’ ICT skills. It will also

require programmes to re-orient and train government ICT workers (e.g., database and system

administrators and application developers) to have expertise in DRM and CCA frameworks and

know-how.

Government should ensure continuous capacity building in all aspects of DRM and CCA, through

enhanced policies and programmes, including in the effective use of ICT technologies at national

and local government levels. Moreover, national capacity building activities should take

advantage of existing public-private partnerships, and bilateral, regional and international

mechanisms for DRM and CCA. These various networks and mechanisms have the potential to

provide not only a platform for both ICT and DRM experts to engage in dialogue and information

52 ESCAP, Information and Communications Technology-Enabled Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia and the Pacific,

Committee on Information and Communication Technology First Session, E/ESCAP/CICT/2, 25 August 2008. 53 Ibid.


sharing, and participate in joint training exercises and simulations for mitigation, preparedness

and response, but also provides an opportunity to enhance capacity via access to new ICT

applications for DRM and CCA.

6. Engage and strengthen bilateral, regional and international collaboration for

DRM and CCA

According to ESCAP, the evolving trends and experiences in regional and international

cooperation in DRM suggest the potential not just to broaden access to ICT but contribute to its

resilience.54

ESCAP identifies specific areas where regional and international cooperation are

seen to be effective in contributing to ICT effectiveness and resilience in DRM, such as in:

The development and sharing of information (including regional best practices in DRM),

communications and space infrastructure resources (e.g., emergency communications

systems and early warning systems, fibre optic and data centre infrastructure, and satellite

technologies for disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery)

Multi-hazard information networks

Capacity building in the use of ICT for DRM

ESCAP argues that countries such as the Philippines, which are still evolving in their ICT

capabilities for DRM and are unable to afford full standby systems for DRM (especially for

emergency communications), would benefit from participating in international cooperative

arrangements, such as those organized by the United Nations. There are also regional

mechanisms such as the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster

Management (AHA Centre) that manages the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning

System, and facilitates cooperation and coordination for DRM and emergency response at the

international and regional levels.

In these various fora for cooperation, the Philippines should push to further enhance and

strengthen already formalized systems for international cooperation for building resilience in ICT

for DRM. The Philippines should also advocate that information on best practices, DRM data and

research, as well as ICT innovations and technologies crucial to DRM are accessible, available

and affordable for Members States.

Indeed, the Philippines should actively participate in and take advantage of existing regional and

international cooperation mechanisms for DRR, as they are not just crucial for improving DRM

capabilities, but also in expanding the operational applications of relevant ICT tools for DRM and

CCA, and in enhancing ICT resilience in general.

An example of this was the involvement of PHIVOLCS in the Mitigate and Assess Risk from

Volcanic Impact on Terrain and Human Activity Project between 2009 and 2012. It was a four-

year project in collaboration with academic institutions from Europe, the Philippines, Indonesia,

Cameroon, Cape Verde and Montserrat. The project aimed to develop tools and integrate cost-

effective methodologies to mitigate risks from hazards of active volcanoes. The project

was composed of work packages, each with specific objectives and concerns ranging from

54 ESCAP, Information and Communications Technology-Enabled Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia and the Pacific,

Committee on Information and Communication Technology First Session, E/ESCAP/CICT/2, 25 August 2008.


instrumental monitoring, hazard and risk assessment, socio-economic vulnerability and resilience,

database design, capacity building and volcanic threat management.55

55 PHIVOLCS, "MIAVITA Project", 25 March 2011. Available from

http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=74&Itemid=5000

33.

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