A Filipino-made app that turns mobile phones into safety tools during disasters has been shortlisted at the prestigious GSMA Global Mobile Awards (GLOMOs), which is dubbed the Oscars of the mobile industry.
The Batingaw (Filipino for “siren”) app developed by Smart Communications, Cebu-based startup Tudlo Innovations Solutions, and the Office of Civil Defense-National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (OCD-NDRRMC) is nominated as the world’s Best Mobile Innovation Supporting Emergency or Humanitarian Situations.
The mobile application provides government agencies, organizations, and individuals with immediate access to disaster warnings, advisories, location data, and disaster mappings. It features step-by-step instructions that can guide users to safety during disasters. The app also enables users to contribute information to emergency agencies more easily and quickly.
Also in the running for the award are projects from Ericsson, the United Nations World Food Programme, the Government of Bangladesh, and Turkcell. The winner will be announced in late February during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
The Batingaw app can be downloaded for free on iOS and Android devices.