Cisco rolls out disaster preparedness packages

CEBU, Philippines — Technology solutions provider Cisco Philippines has rolled out its end-to-end disaster preparedness packages to help local government units (LGUs) comply with government’s requirement of setting up sound disaster preparation and management platform.

Executives from Cisco Philippines led by its managing director Karrie Ilagan, together with its partners officially rolled out its “Cisco Konektado” initiative in Cebu Wednesday at Seda Ayala Center Cebu.

Cisco Konektado is a solution that can aid all four stages of the country’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation (DRRM) plan.

All LGUs in the country are required to set aside at least five percent of their revenue to install their own disaster risk reduction and management fund (RDMF).

Ilagan presented Cisco Konektado’s Emergecy Disaster Kit to over a hundred LGU representatives and community stakeholders in Cebu and other parts of Visayas.

Cisco’s Konektado is available in three bundles classified according to the LGUs requirement—Konektado Bayan, Konektado Munisipyo and Konektado Siyudad.

The basic bundle costs half a million pesos inclusive of the technical and disaster management trainings.

“Technology can help us response to natural calamities quicker and lessen the number of casualties,” said Ilagan explaining further that the solution allows stakeholders all over the country to communicate via video even in areas where communication infrastructure may be lacking or has yet to be developed.

Cisco’s Konektado was first deployed in Legazpi City following the aftermath of typhoon Tisoy in December 2019.

According to Ilagan, Cisco together with its partners in Cebu will soon reach out to different LGUs in the province, specifically in Cebu City and other cities in Metro Cebu.

This all-in-one connectivity, communications and collaboration solution can be used to establish or strengthen connections between the high-risk LGUs and their respective municipalities as well as with government bodies that oversee disaster preparation and response.

It also has the capability to establish networks when infrastructure is down. Its software and hardware suite was also built to be interoperable.

Cisco Konektado was born out of the company’s goal to harness the use of technology in supporting the country’s local disaster approach. She said Cisco’s tactical operations team learned so much during its response efforts to the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Cisco initially developed a rapid response kit, a portable and easy-to-use network and device to be the first line of communication for first responders until it shifted its focus to developing solution that will help LGUs be more proactive in addressing the challenges before, during and after a disaster strikes.

She said Cisco has recognized the fact that the Philippines is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world with an average of 26 disasters in a year and located in the world’s circle of fire, it is then crucial for LGUs to have an end-to-end solution of disaster preparedness.

This user-friendly solution however, she added is not limited during disasters but can also be used in LGU’s day to day business.