5G technology can help address traffic and flooding

CEBU, Philippines —The Philippines, which is saddled with flooding and traffic congestion concerns, stand to benefit more from the use of fifth-generation or 5G technology, according to an expert.

Dr. Henry Chan, a development economist based in Singapore and a senior research fellow at the Cambodia Institute for Cooperation and Peace, said the country is poised to improve its existing key social and economic sectors should it focus on “5G user case application.”

“The Philippines, being a developing country, I think can develop and use it for flood control, traffic management, and for agriculture improvement. That is the good thing with 5G because there’s no space limitation,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an Integrated Development Studies Institute forum in Makati City recently.

5G is an engineered evolution of the 4G, which promises wider application – from education banking, transportation, and government services among others.

Specific to easing traffic congestion in Manila, Chan said the government can use 5G in mobilizing real-time sensors in every intersection and control the traffic using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

“You can have it done via remote control. Every intersection, you have sensors, real-time sensors so traffic control centers that are using AI technology gets to improve the speed of vehicle flow,” he said.

“5G allows you to have a video in every intersection without cabling because it’s wireless transmission, so you have real-time monitoring of traffic, you have a real-time adjustment of traffic light so the traffic flow would be much better,” Chan added.

Chan said 5G could also enhance the country’s disaster risk reduction policies and expand its monitoring capabilities, much like in its application on traffic management.

“In the case of flooding in the Philippines, I feel that if you can put censors along the river, [in case of] any overflowing, you could immediately be alerted,” he said. PNA