DYNAMIC REAL-TIME HAZARD MAPPING

DYNAMIC REAL-TIME HAZARD MAPPING

In a country as disaster-prone as ours, information can literally save lives. With typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and volcanic eruptions threatening us year after year, the ability to know — in real time — which areas are safe and which are not can spell the difference between survival and tragedy.

That’s why I was pleased to see that we now have HazardHunterPH, a government platform that provides online hazard assessments for any location in the Philippines. It is one of the most promising developments in our national disaster preparedness efforts — but like many government innovations, it still feels a bit too technical and not quite user-friendly enough for ordinary citizens.

After all, most Filipinos don’t have laptops or desktop computers. They rely on their smartphones for everything — from banking to barangay alerts. If we want this kind of information to save lives, then the government must ensure that hazard-mapping tools are not just accurate, but accessible and understandable to everyone.

What We Have So Far

The HazardHunterPH website (hazardhunter.georisk.gov.ph) is part of the larger GeoRiskPH initiative led by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through PHIVOLCS, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and PAGASA. It combines data on earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and landslides in one interactive map. Users can type in any address and instantly see a hazard report — a vital tool for architects, developers, and local governments.

But here’s the thing: most citizens just want a simple answer — “Is it safe to live here?” — and the site still feels designed for professionals. What’s missing is a consumer-friendly version: something that uses color-coded icons, voice prompts, and simple terms like “low risk” or “high risk.”

Better still, there should be a mobile app that provides real-time alerts and hazard scores based on your GPS location — something like Waze, but for disasters. Imagine getting a text notification that says, “You are entering a flood-prone zone. Avoid parking here.” That’s the kind of life-saving innovation we need.

And while we’re at it, why not have a 24/7 call center — a “Hazard Hotline” — where citizens can call and talk to a trained responder who can explain risks in simple language? Not everyone has data connectivity, but almost everyone has access to a basic phone line.

Other Efforts Worth Noting

Before HazardHunterPH, there was Project NOAH — the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards — developed by the University of the Philippines. It provided real-time flood, landslide, and storm surge data, and it became a trusted source for local governments and schools. Although it was temporarily defunded in 2017, its datasets live on through the UP Resilience Institute, which continues to refine its modeling and visualization tools.

Then there’s Project LIGTAS, which focuses on Metro Manila flood mapping and emergency response integration. It allows communities to visualize their flood susceptibility in near real time — something extremely valuable in a city where a few minutes of heavy rain can paralyze traffic and submerge entire streets.

Private sector initiatives are also stepping in. The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) has developed PDRF-HANDA, a mapping system for businesses that integrates ArcGIS data for hazard monitoring. This shows that dynamic hazard mapping isn’t just a government concern — it’s a public-private collaboration that affects everyone.

Real-Time Data for Real People

The challenge now is to translate these high-tech systems into practical guidance at the barangay level. These tools could easily help in:

  • Eco-village site selection, identifying safe land for sustainable communities.

  • Burial forest zoning, ensuring sacred sites are protected from erosion and landslides.

  • Aquaculture planning, aligning fishponds with rainfall and storm surge data.

  • Community restoration projects, where geohazard data can guide reforestation and rebuilding efforts.

We could even go further. Barangays could integrate hazard alerts into Rights of Nature guardianship systems, where rivers, forests, or mangroves are treated as living entities under community care. Imagine having real-time environmental data tied directly to local stewardship and disaster planning — a true convergence of technology and ecology.

The Missing Link

We already have the data. We have the agencies. What’s missing is coordination and communication. The ordinary Filipino does not need to navigate a dozen government websites just to know if it’s safe to build a house.

What we need is one unified, mobile-friendly, plain-language platform that links all these data sources — from DOST’s GeoRiskPH to PAGASA’s rainfall forecasts — and turns them into real-time, actionable advice. Something simple enough that even an elderly barangay resident could understand it at a glance.

Final Thoughts

In a nation where disasters have become part of daily life, the ability to map hazards in real time is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. But technology alone will not keep us safe. Information must be human-centered — easy to access, easy to interpret, and responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens.

If the government can build weather satellites, early warning systems, and geo-risk databases, surely it can also build a simple mobile app and a live hotline that tells us, “You are safe here,” or “You need to move now.”

Because in the end, it’s not just about data — it’s about lives. And every life saved is proof that information, when made accessible, is the most powerful form of disaster preparedness we have.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 03-13-2026

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