As part of its advocacy to promote a culture of preparedness, mobile leader Smart Communications (Smart) unveiled a series of disaster-readiness educational videos especially designed for children who are most vulnerable during disasters.
The video series, entitled Maging Laging Handa, covers precautionary measures and safety tips for various calamities such as typhoons, floods, tsunamis, storm surges, earthquakes, and landslides.
Reviewed and approved by PAGASA, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the video materials will be used by DepEd as additional resources for the disaster risk reduction education of elementary students. A teacher’s guide as to how these videos can be integrated in the curriculum has already been developed by DepEd.
“We are very happy to collaborate with our government partners on this project. It’s good to include the children, as early as now, in the entire preparedness exercise as we try to become a nation that is more capable and ready for any type of disasters,” said Smart Public Affairs Group Head Ramon Isberto.
The video features Tonipet Gabba as online instructor; three puppets namely Inay Lena, a mother hen; Brownie, a dog; and Kali, a carabao; and all-original Tagalog songs aimed at making the learning journey richer and more exciting.
The videos were able to simplify disaster-related concepts like the typhoon signals, rainfall warning signals, and the differences between a storm surge and a tsunami.
The Maging Laging Handa videos are available online via the #SafePH website at www.smart.com.ph/SafePH.
Smart as an organization has embraced preparedness, and has been aggressively promoting the culture of preparedness among its partner organizations under its #SafePH program.
The telco has been holding caravans all over the country for household preparedness, and supporting different government agencies to help strengthen disaster management capacities of the LGUs.
To aid in disaster communications and response, Smart has developed mobile apps and technology solutions such as the Batingaw and Project Noah apps, and the Smart Infocast. The telco has also been consistent in providing immediate libreng tawag services to areas affected by disasters using its satellite services.
