CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - The Department of Science and Technology-Region 3 (DOST-Central Luzon) has boosted the disaster rescue and relief capabilities of poor and vulnerable communities in the region through the adoption of locally developed disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) technology.

Funded under the DOST's Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST) program, the project Mobile Command and Control Vehicle (MOCCOV) with triage technology will be adopted to strengthen the local disaster preparedness and post-pandemic recovery capacities of the communities in Central Luzon.

DOST-3 Regional Director Julius Caesar Sicat has cited how the technology will benefit the communities at risk during disasters.

"From this technology, makakapunta tayo on site, sa isang lugar na malapit doon sa actual center ng calamity, maise-setup natin 'yung command center natin. Mayroon 'yan lahat ng capabilities (From this technology, we can go onsite, in a place near the actual center of the calamity. We can set up our command center. It has all the capabilities). We are better prepared than the Philippines was in the event of Typhoon Haiyan," Sicat said in a video interview on Wednesday.

The MOCCOV, which is an invention by Filipino inventor Dennis Abella, is a facility used to plan, direct, coordinate, and control forces and assets to ensure mission accomplishment in times of emergency management and preparedness.

It is equipped with various capabilities for emergency situations to exercise contingency and response plans and has its own weather station system, drone, satellite phone, and other communication and surveillance equipment.

In times of rescue operations, the technology has included triage with available rescue equipment and medical apparatuses.

Shelby Ruiz, division chief of the OCD-DRRM, said the project is a big help in their response operation. (PNA)