Completion of Baguio ‘smart flood system’ on

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY -- The Summer Capital's push to establish its own “smart flood early warning, information and mitigation system” initiated in August of 2020 is ongoing according to City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head Antonette Anaban.
    In the 3rd Quarter Meeting of the CDRRM Council, July 14, she said the project aims to improve community disaster preparedness, awareness and ensuring ownership to enhance urban resilience.
    It is implemented under the ASEAN Australia Smart Cities Trust Fund (AASCTF), supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and managed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), she added.
    Anaban disclosed that the project's expected outputs include the establishment and execution of a Smart Flood Early Warning Information System (FEWS); establishment of a real-time data capture system in four river basins in the city; and the preparation of a flood mitigation action plan.
    She explained that FEWS is part of the city government's current Smart City initiatives such as the Smart City Command Center; digital innovations to speed up the delivery of government service; Smart City twinning program with Perth, Australia; and establishment of the National Government Data Center and Digital Transformation Hub.
    Its key focus areas are on enhanced capacity building and on-the-job training; climate change assessment as input to modelling and design for enhancing city resilience; and gender transformative approach for strengthened development, application and replication of the city's FEWS, Anaban said.
    Other AASCTF technical assistance to the city, she said, includes establishing a climate resilient and local carbon urban development where the CDRRMO was assisted in coming up with a climate risk and vulnerability assessment that provides useful inputs to the city's development planning; greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory; investment prioritization and financing of climate projects.      
    The meeting was presided by engineer Philip Puzon, City Mayor's Office Chief of Staff and CDRRMC action officer, who represented Mayor Benjamin Magalong, CDRRMC chairperson. Anaban is the group's head of secretariat.