The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) places third in the Innovation for Resilience Challenge 2024 Awards, a project initiated by the USAID-Climate Resilient Cities (CRC) and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.

The organizers recognized CDRRMO’s proposal entitled the “Salva Vida Application”, an emergency mobile application administrator and dispatcher interface/ responder mobile application, citing that it offers “promising solutions in building a climate resilience and securing a sustainable future for Zamboanga City.”

The awarding ceremony was held last Thursday, April 25 at the Seda Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

CDRRMO head Dr. Elmeir Apolinario and key personnel received the award presented by CRC Chief of Party Alan Luis Silayan and PDRF president Rene Meily.

The “Salva Vida App” is a fully integrated computer software system and mobile application (IOS and Android) that allows the general public, the emergency dispathers/ telecommunicators and field service providers coordinated actions in addressing emergencies and disasters from incident recognition up to the resolution of the incident. It was designed since January 2018 by the ZCDRRMO and is for city-wide implementation this year.

The mobile application for the general public lets users’ request/ report incidents to emergency services provides at the time of distress. With the touch of the alert buttons, it allows users to report emergencies, accidents and crimes to the ZCDRRMO Operation Center/ 911 local call center and consequently assigns field service providers to respond.

The emergency application results to faster emergency response, improved communication and coordination, enhanced situational awareness, community engagement and participation and public awareness and education among others.

The Innovations for Resilience Challenge was launched over 3 years ago and “aims to empower cities and strengthen their capacity for developing and implementing nature-based solutions. The challenge will enable participating cities to identify and support scalable or replicable community-led innovation projects that contribute to climate and disaster resilience; and conduct knowledge-sharing sessions and mentorship opportunities for the local innovators working in the resilience space.”

The pilot run of the challenge is open to the six CRC-supported cities – Batangas, Borongan, Cotabato, Iloilo, Legazpi and Zamboanga. (Sheila Covarrubias)