unconnected.org, Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management partner for community response

unconnected.org and Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management - Philippines (APAD PH) entered into a partnership focused on community resilience through connectivity. 

Core to the collaboration is APAD PH network of educational and civic institutions nationwide to act as disaster connectivity hubs in times of emergencies. Sites are to be equipped by unconnected.org with free-to-use satellite connectivity equipment aimed to address communications requirements by both responders as well as by the affected communities. 

A course on emergency telecommunications was also provided by unconnected.org to APAD PH and its network of volunteers for the appropriate guidance for the use and management of the satellite internet system. 

To this end, APAD PH has welcomed co-developed community programs with unconnected.org that will involve the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) for disaster risk reduction and management.

As the Philippines enters into the wet season, the partnership is envisioned to support other public-private response efforts in the niche of emergency communications.

The program is catalyzed with funding from Internet Society (ISOC) Foundation to unconnected.org and will run for two (2) years.