Capitol eyes satellite phones for calamities

CEBU, Philippines - As part of its disaster preparedness thrust, the Cebu Provincial Government is hinting on buying satellite phones to be distributed to different component cities and municipalities.

Governor Hilario Davide III has observed such kind of equipment as useful during emergencies when he visited Bantayan Island after the typhoon when a communication company lent him a satellite phone to contact the mainland.

"We are thinking of acquiring them for the towns," said Davide.

Davide wants each town and city to have such type of communication gadget to be prepared when a calamity hits anytime.

He said they can always use the province's calamity fund.

Representatives of Smart Communications were at Davide's office for a product demonstration of its satellite phones.

Joey Santos, Smart's business development specialist, said a satellite phone is rarely out of signal even if all systems are down due to a disaster making it "more reliable" than any other communication means.

Smart, he said, provided satellite phones to areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda after its own communication lines were cut.

"We met with Gov. Davide to introduce this as probable solution in terms of emergency needs," Santos said.

Smart's satellite phone unit costs P38,500 which Santos claimed as the "cheapest in the market," and is pre-loaded with a $225 consumable load.

Provincial Board Member Celestino "Tining" Martinez III, who came to watch the product demonstration, said that after Yolanda hit, it took them more than 24 hours to get information about the situation in Northern Cebu which were badly affected by the super typhoon.

"It was a big problem for us. When we started delivering reliefs, it was hard. It took a little time to respond," he said.

With the satellite phones, Martinez said the entire province could be ready during disasters. (FREEMAN)