MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) together with the University of the Philippines Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry (UP TCAGP) has launched a new system to improve governance and public services in the country.
Called the Smart Metro or the Modern Geospatial and Collaborative Solutions for the Development of Smart Regions, the system aims to address issues on disasters and emergency responses, traffic, mobility, land use, flooding, health and environmental concerns, and economic planning.
The system was launched during an event held in Iloilo City last April 17.
The system has four platforms; Connect, which is used for citizens to report issues directly through mobile phones; Command, which is used for local government units to receive reports, track issues, and monitor responses; Collab, which is used for sharing tasks and announcements within LGUs, and Codex, a data and mapping platform that supports better city planning and data-based decision making.
The system was developed by the UP TCAGP in partnership with theMetro Iloilo–Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC), and DOST Region VI.
DOST-PCIEERD funded the project amounting to P28 Million.
According to Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum, the DOST is now creating a support mechanism to "catapult and accelerate smart city initiatives in the Philippines,"
“To govern such a nation has always required not only vision, but the ability to see clearly across these distances, and to act with a shared understanding. Today, we are given new ways of doing exactly that,” Solidum added.
Dr. Czar Jakiri Sarmiento, project lead of Smart Metro, said that the new system is not just a technology project but a governance ecosystem built through consultation, collaboration, and actual local government needs.
