The online community promoting disaster preparedness and awareness Get Ready Pinas has launched its website today, July 19, at the Commune Cafe in Makati City.

Get Ready Pinas is an online initiative that promotes disaster preparedness through social media. Prior to the website’s launch, Get Ready Pinas maintains online presence through social networking sites Twitter and Facebook.

Ragde Falcis, one of the designers of the website, said to SecurityMatters that, “We know that this website can potentially save lives especially that we’re a typhoon prone country.”

Falcis added that the site “is designed to be easily browsed.” He explained that the concept is simple for easy navigation and less clutter. The site loads fast — in seconds, for the person browsing to get the much needed information quickly.

Noel de Guia of Get Ready Pinas also told SecurityMatters that, “The website, with the social media push, could give people more active information on how to get ready especially during disasters.”

“The idea is to make it a habit for Filipinos to be prepared. We’re helping create a culture of preparedness for everybody not just during disasters but even beyond the time of disasters,” said de Guia.

Asked on what is unique with the website, de Guia said, “The unique feature of Get Ready Pinas is that it’s always updated. It is manned by people who really care and we have good partners who all believe that being ready is the best thing to do.”

The website, www.getreadypinas.com, shows information and survival tips in disaster situations through multimedia features like infographics and videos. The website was co-developed by Smart Communications.

Disaster Preparedness Initiatives Launched

Also during the launch, Smart Communications Inc. and its partners announced the launching of its disaster preparedness initiatives.

One such program is the collaboration with Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR) for the program Noah’s Ark. The program is a capacity-building initiative that helps local government units (LGUs) and communities highly vulnerable to flooding to become disaster resilient. The six-month program involves trainings and workshops and culminates in a flood warning and evacuation drill.

From the LGU and community level, Smart hopes to bring down the initiative to the family and individual levels with the program Pamilyang Ready, Pamilyang Panalo caravan.

“With this caravan, our message is that disaster preparedness must start at every home,” said Ramon Isberto, head of Smart Public Affairs Group.

The caravan will kick off on July 20 at Barangay Tumana in Marikina City, one of the communities included in the Noah’s Ark initiative.

The telco will be holding four more legs in other Noah’s Ark communities in the coming weeks namely Malabon City, Barangay Banago in Bacolod City, Barangay Macasandig in Cagayan de Oro City, and Dumaguete City. The caravan will run until September this year.

During the half-day caravan, speakers will give tips on the best way to prepare and survive emergencies.

Smart will be bringing in its value brand, Talk “N Text, as well as partners that include Energizer Philippines, RiteMed, and PruLife UK which will be selling products necessary for emergencies during the caravan for the households in the communities.