The University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) launched its first-ever Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health (UPM DRRM-H) Center on June 8.
The UPM DRRM-H Center aims to provide virtual disaster training programs to prevent mistakes in actual catastrophic situations using state-of-the-art disaster simulation training technologies.
This is located on the 2nd floor of Joaquin Gonzales Hall in UPM and will also be a house for evidence-based research.
"The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Through the Center, we seek to conduct training and seminars that will prepare our responders, even ordinary employees in disaster preparedness through our state-of-art facilities," said Carlos Primero Gundran, lead investigator and UPM DRRM-H Center head at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The UPM DRRM-H Center also sees itself to be "the center for excellence of the academe" with three primary objectives: "to develop necessary skills such as command and control, collaboration, and coordination; to identify those who need psychosocial interventions in evacuation camps; and to efficiently allocate available resources immediately in disaster-stricken areas."
“I look forward to more research, more drills, more training, and more opportunities for the communities to be more prepared for the future,” said UPM Chancellor Carmencita Padilla.
Padilla expressed her gratitude to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for acknowledging the university's initiative in leading other universities, centers, and even other countries with disaster resiliency.
Some of the technologies being used in the center are the XVR Software, Disaster Simulation Suite, and Emergo Train System.
XVR Software is a tool that sets up realistic disaster scenarios designed mainly for safety and security professionals. The Disaster Simulation Suite is a web-based system used for planning, implementation, and evaluation of a drill, performing multi-user real-time data that can be used in devices including smartphones and tablets. While the Emergo Train System is a tabletop activity set that uses magnetic symbols to simulate the role of responders, patients, and equipment.
The Center has been providing training, consultancy, and research services to various institutions since 2018. They are currently in collaboration with the UP Diliman Resilience Institute for research concerning COVID-19 and proposals for Phase 2 with the DOST. (Luisa Cabato)