MASID Technologies at APMCDRR: Showcasing the Heart of Science Innovation in DRRM

21 Oct 2024 2:00 PM

DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. and the DOST-ASTI MASID Team at the APMCDRR 2024, Forum Tent, Pasay City 

Pasay, PH – The DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute’s MASID Technologies was showcased at the 2024 Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), held from 14 to 17 October 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Tent, Pasay CityThis four-day event convened leaders from government, non-governmental organizations, international institutions, and the private sector across the Asia Pacific region, focusing on advancing initiatives to enhance disaster risk reduction and preparedness, fostering collaboration and innovation for resilient communities. 

Part of the program was exhibitions from various institutions and organizations which provided attendees firsthand look at the different disaster risk reduction innovations, including MASID Technologies that demonstrated real-world applications in climate monitoring.  

The Meteorological Data Acquisition Station for Information Dissemination (MASID) is designed to monitor environmental conditions in real time. It is composed of Automated Rain Gauges (ARGs), Water Level Monitoring Systems (WLMS), and various combinations of the Automated Weather Monitoring systems. MASID consists of stations with specialized functions, such as the Agrometeorological Stations (Agromet), Community Tsunami Alerting Station (CTAS), and Flood Early Warning Systems (FEWS), making it a versatile solution for addressing a wide range of climate-related risks. 

These technologies collect environmental data which are analyzed to support early warning systems and disaster response.  MASID’s  Philsensors, a real-time visualization tool, enables communities and local government units to anticipate hazards more effectively, allowing them to make timely decisions that can save lives and mitigate damage.  

During the APMCDRR event, a Samoan official shows interest in the MASID Stations, recognizing their potential for enhancing disaster risk reduction and management. 

MASID Technologies have already been deployed in numerous disaster-prone areas across the Philippines, where they have made significant contributions to disaster preparedness and response.  The early warning systems have been instrumental in providing critical lead time for communities to prepare for impending floods, typhoons, and other natural hazards. After years of proven success, MASID Technologies will continue to demonstrate its impact on disaster risk reduction.   

The APMCDRR event opened opportunities for potential partnerships with like-minded institutions, encouraging collaboration to harness these technologies for enhancing community resilience. The challenge moving forward is to expand the reach, address technology gaps, and ensure vulnerable populations can benefit from them. With the continued development, deployment, and sustaining initiatives, we can build safer, more resilient communities for all.  

About APMCDRR 2024 

The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction is the first regional platform in Asia and the Pacific to monitor, review, and enhance cooperation for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 

Held under the theme "Surge to 2030: Enhancing ambition in Asia-Pacific to accelerate disaster risk reduction”, the APMCDRR provided an important opportunity for the participants to review risk reduction efforts, share innovative solutions, and make actionable commitments to accelerate disaster risk reduction (DRR) by 2030 in the world's most disaster-prone region.