Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay, head of the DOST Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (Project NOAH), said on Sunday that they will soon distribute “MOSES” tablets for fast transmission of disaster alerts such as flood and earthquake occurrences. According to Dr. Lagmay, the device will provide localities with key information about a calamity as it happens.
The complete functions of MOSES Tablets will be tackled during the official launch of the project on July 23, which is also the National Science and Technology Week. But while waiting for the launch, DOST revealed that "MOSES" tablets are capable of receiving weather and flood information from PAGASA with real-time hazard map update. The device also allows local disaster officials to readily access vital information from the Doppler radar sensors, water level sensors and data from gauges.
Dr. Lagmay also added that the tablet is intentionally designed to help local disaster managers in making decisions, whether to declare suspension of classes in schools or to take evacuation actions in their districts.
"If they chose a temporary shelter center in a compromised area, then we will be able to inform them to relocate," Lagmay said, pointing out that, even with the MOSES device, live two-way communication in times of disasters remains most vital.
The Monitoring and Operating System for Emergency Services (Moses) tablets will be handed to local disaster managers in July, during a convention on disaster preparedness.
MOSES device reportedly uses a locally manufactured chipset and circuit boards. Assembly of its parts are also done locally to ensure service support. Lagmay says he estimates MOSES devices to cost P20,000 each. However, the specific device brand is yet to be announced.