Fifteen Philippine universities will soon have access to expansive weather and climate data and make science-based decisions to protect their school communities with Komunidad and the Philippine Development Foundation’s (PhilDev) KilmaHQ, a school-based Climate Action Center (sCAC) project.
The KlimaHQ Project will allow the deployment of Komunidad’s Climate ActionCenter — a web-based application for monitoring disaster risks that comes with decision support tools such as online dashboards, automated reports, and early warning alerts — to 15 universities across the country.
The Philippines is one of the most at-risk countries in the world, experiencing extreme weather conditions that have devastating effects on people and the economy. The education system has not been spared from these effects, with schools relying on local government units for updates on class suspensions and disaster preparedness initiatives. However, with the lack of insights and site-specific risk analysis, they are left vulnerable.
The KlimaHQ project acknowledges these issues and aims to provide solutions for 15 universities across the country.
For this project, Komunidad partners with PhilDev, a non-profit organization that aims to eradicate poverty through science and technology and create links for knowledge, capacities, and opportunity exchange. PhilDev will assist in the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the project.
Through the KlimaHQ, both organizations aim to empower educational institutions to make informed decisions to protect their students from climate risks. The project will also provide students with access to Komunidad’s weather and climate data, allowing them to learn more about climate change.
During the year-long duration of the project, schools can also set up their own command centers and strengthen their climate resilience by efficiently managing risks and preparing for disasters. This will also empower them to provide better protection for their communities.
To achieve this, Komunidad will provide university heads, school disaster risk reduction and management officers, faculty members, and students access to timely and localized weather and climate information alongside risk analysis reports. They can access this information through the web app’s dashboard and receive automated email reports and SMS alerts.
To help them maximize this data, Komunidad will also conduct training for the beneficiaries. They are also encouraged to join KomunidadXchange, a platform designed to sustain and deepen discussions on technology-based solutions that address climate risks and their impacts on the education sector.
The KomunidadXchange’s first fireside chat was held last March, focusing on Empowering Resilient Communities with Early Warnings. Three more installments are scheduled for 2023, with the next one happening in July, focusing on education.
