2016 ICT4D Conference

In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan caused catastrophic damage in Eastern Leyte, Philippines. With no early warning systems in place, 315 km/h sustained winds and 20 ft. storm surges took many residents' lives and property. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) initiated the Planning for Resilience and Effective Preparedness (PREP) project in two Haiyan-affected municipalities which have high risks of flooding and/or storm surge. Participatory mapping builds community capacity to address climate-related hazards that threaten their wellbeing. Government disaster risk maps do not usually include the voices of the frontlines, particularly the most vulnerable, and often rely on outdated data. Community voices add valuable specificity and relevance for use in more effective disaster risk reduction planning at all levels.
In the Philippines, there is a high level of technological literacy; the majority of adults and youth have the capacity to use smart phones and applications. CRS introduced an easy-to-use, customized mobile application named ArcGIS Collector, for community members to plot key infrastructures, evacuation centers, hazards, and risk. pGIS revolutionizes risk mapping from normally hand-drawn maps to high quality GIS maps. These digital maps are stored in the cloud preventing damage/loss during storms. These maps are now the primary information base that help local governments design inclusive evacuation routes/centers, effective early warning systems, and preposition relief goods.