EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara urged public school administrators, teachers, and disaster response coordinators to use the hazard assessment tool Project Ligtas+.
"Pursuant to the directive of President Marcos to use new technology for climate resilience, we appeal to our school leaders, teachers, and DRRM (disaster risk reduction and management) coordinators to use Ligtas+ as part of our regular disaster preparedness," Angara said in a statement on Wednesday.
"With Ligtas+, we can anticipate risks early so our school leaders can make timely, informed decisions before hazards turn into emergencies," he said.
Ligtas stands for Learning Institution Geohazard Tracking and Assessment for Safety.
Project Ligtas+ "is a decision-support platform designed to convert raw weather and geological data into clear, school-level safety alerts to guide proactive hazard management," the DepEd said in the statement.
Ligtas+ was developed by the department's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Services and the Education Center for AI Research.
"To help school leaders anticipate hazard risks, the system combines artificial intelligence and traditional weather forecast models with satellite radar imagery and data from key government and international scientific agencies," it said.
The DepEd said these included the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration "for rainfall, wind speed, and extreme heat tracking"; DOST-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology "for estimating earthquake shaking intensity and monitoring volcanic ashfall"; Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau "for susceptibility of landslide and flood in an area"; and "international climate data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Union's Copernicus satellite data collection."
The DepEd said that Ligtas+ enables "school heads, teachers, and disaster response coordinators to securely log in using their credentials."
"Users begin by checking an interactive nationwide map accessible on mobile or desktop to immediately identify hazard risks across the country's more than 47,000 public schools," it said.
"When emergencies strike, school safety teams can report conditions in real time. Instead of spending hours manually compiling reports during typhoons and other disasters, administrators can generate standardized emergency reports in as little as five minutes," it said.
"To accelerate response times, Ligtas+ connects directly to DepEd's Incident Management and Reporting System (IMRS). By immediately mapping field conditions, the tool gives decision-makers a near real-time overview to efficiently deploy support before, during, and after an emergency," it said.
The DepEd added that the 4H Education in Emergencies Framework was "integrated into Ligtas+ to guide school administrators on adjusting schedules, shifting to alternative learning modes, or suspending classes based on hazard severity."
Based on the statement, the 4Hs were Hayo (continue), Hinay (ease-in), Hinga (check-in), and Hinto (stop).
The DepEd clarified that Ligtas+ was not a replacement for advisories, established protocols, and field assessments.
"With the help of technology and our partner agencies, our preparation is faster and more accurate," Angara said.
"Through Ligtas+, we are giving our school leaders the right tools and information to act early, keep our learners safe, and ensure that learning continues even during disasters," he said.
