CAGAYAN PIO

The Department of Education (DepEd) rolled out its disaster risk platform, Project LIGTAS+, on Friday to help schools prepare for natural calamities and prevent academic disruptions.

“Education is the most reliable ladder out of poverty. When a disaster strikes, that ladder shouldn’t break,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in a news release.

“We are fulfilling President Bongbong Marcos’ mandate to use innovation not just for safety, but for stability,” he added.

The agency said Project LIGTAS+, which stands for Learning Institution Geohazard Tracking and Assessment for Safety, aims to protect students from class disruptions caused by natural disasters.

“We are moving away from guesswork and toward a future where data ensures that no child’s education is washed away by a storm,” Mr. Angara said.

Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showed that the country lost 53 school days in 2023 to 2024. The majority of which were lost due to high heat indices during April/May and typhoons.

Through the platform, schools would be able to receive school-specific risk profiles in real time by utilizing geospatial analytics, satellite imagery, and historical hazard data.

Other features of the platform include an interactive multi-hazard map, flood intelligence powered by satellite SAR data, earthquake impact assessments, volcanic activity monitoring, and AI-powered weather forecasts up to 10 days in advance.

DepEd noted that the platform would also help identify which specific schools within a locality are at risk and which can safely remain open during calamities. Meanwhile, teachers and school personnel can have early warnings for extreme heat and landslides.

“Project LIGTAS+ is designed to generate granular hazard views, enabling decision-makers to move beyond broad assumptions and toward more context-specific action,” the agency said in a news release.

“Project LIGTAS+ aims to give every parent peace of mind, knowing their children are protected by a system that is always one step ahead of the next disaster, ensuring that the path out of poverty remains open even in the face of nature’s uncertainty,” it added.

Project LIGTAS+ is currently in its pilot implementation phase and is designed to support DepEd’s long-term planning around school infrastructure and resource prioritization. — Almira Louise S. Martinez

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