The Globe Group and leading climate data and analytics software company Komunidad Global have teamed up to implement an early warning monitoring system in Siargao island, a famous tourist destination in the Philippines, to strengthen its climate-resiliency to typhoons and other natural emergencies.
The collaboration was announced by Komunidad Global Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer Allister Ayque at the “Mobile For Development Seminar: A Better Climate Future – Opportunities For Innovation In Climate Adaptation And Resilience” at the recent Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona.
The Climate-Resilient Siargao Project, which also involves select local government units in Siargao, is a significant step towards ensuring the sustainability and resilience of the island and its residents in the face of environmental challenges. Siargao was among islands devastated by powerful Typhoon Odette in December 2021.
The Project aims to establish an integrated and comprehensive climate resilience system that can be set up quickly at any location in the Philippines without investing in sensor equipment and multiple software systems. It provides critical data, insights, reports, and early warnings to help local government units make informed decisions to prepare during times of disasters and to mitigate their impact on communities.
The initiative is scheduled to be launched this month, with the municipalities of Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, Santa Monica, and Socorro as beneficiaries.
“We are excited to partner with Globe in empowering Siargao communities to anticipate, absorb, and adapt to the negative impacts of climate change through data-driven and science-based decision support tools. We look forward to working with Globe in implementing this project,” Ayque said.
As a start, Globe will provide Home Prepaid WiFi devices and support Komunidad as its Mobile Network Operator to help local governments with efficient risk response in their day-to-day disaster preparedness activities. Globe will also look at other potential integration points with Komunidad Global’s platform.
“We recognize the role of technology in strengthening climate resilience, and we are committed to supporting initiatives that promote sustainable development in the communities we serve. This partnership is one way we can use our technology to help local government units in Siargao prepare for and mitigate the impact of disasters,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at the Globe Group.
Rofil Sheldon Magto, Globe Regional Communications Senior Manager for Visayas and Mindanao, added, “Globe has always been at the forefront of innovation and digital transformation in the Philippines. Our recent submarine cable landing in the Municipality of Dapa is a testament to our commitment to providing reliable connectivity to more Filipinos. We are proud to support the Climate-Resilient Siargao Project and help build a climate-resilient Philippines.”
Komunidad Global is a portfolio company of ADB Ventures and Wavemaker Partners, supported by the GSMA Innovation Fund for Climate Resilience and Adaptation. It provides digital transformation and decision-support tools for climate resilience and sustainability and helps governments and companies harness the power of data and analytics to manage climate risk and optimize for a low carbon future.
In the Philippines, Komunidad Global is used by major cities as well as schools and energy, mining, real estate and BPO companies. It is also used in states in India and by farmers in Cambodia.