Department of Health (DOH) officials in Eastern Visayas noted that it took them days after the disastrous landslide before they were able to link and coordinate with the “outside world” for updating and mobilizing needed support. It was one of the worst disasters that killed more than a thousand residents, mostly women and children.  A German NGO, GTZ, provided the only Internet link in the disaster site.  Government agencies and NGOs using the facility had to cue to send their reports to Manila and other designations.

This slow pace in sending and exchanging risk, emergency and disaster information on health in Eastern Visayas may now be a thing of the past. The DOH Eastern Visayas Regional Office inaugurated on March 26, 2007 its Regional Electronic Access to Communication for Health in Eastern Visayas (REACH-EV).

The Center was set up with a US$50,000.00 grant from the UNESCO Emergency Assistance Program. UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura announced the grant during his visit to the Philippines in May 2006.

According to DOH Regional Director Dr. Benita N. Pastor, REACH-EV will serve as electronic databank on health emergency management information in Eastern Visayas. It is a “one-stop shop” that provides basic data services such as web browsing, e-mail and SMS, and serves as a databank on hazards and disasters in the region. It will facilitate electronic exchange among the eight provinces and the different municipalities in the region. REACH-EV is also envisioned to be a library for information materials on various formats on health emergencies and disasters. The 80 sq.m center will also serve as venue for ICT learning for health workers and community members. Dr. Pastor said that REACH-EV will also cover other health issues and concerns of the region.

To prepare the regional and provincial health officials, local officials and local community leaders on the use of the electronic center,  DOH Eastern Visayas will conduct a series of training on disaster management, disaster communication, web page management, and digital literacy. The training series is part of the UNESCO grant and will be implemented in cooperation with the UNESCO National Commission (NatCom), Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT). The initial training on disaster management  held on March 27 – 29 was attended by provincial, municipal and barangay (village) health and disaster management officials.  Meanwhile, the training on disaster communication will involve simulated exercises involving health officials and personnel at all levels, from barangays to regional offices. Other government agencies and NGOs will also be involved in the training.

DOH Eastern Visayas will also produce electronic content on disaster management that will be available through the web and CD-ROM. According to NatCom Commissioner Florangel Rosario-Braid, the content will be based on lessons and experiences of the region in dealing with various forms of natural disasters. In addition to the Guinsaugon tragedy, another major natural disaster was the Ormoc flashflood in 1991 that killed over 5, 000 individuals. The e-content will be shared not only with health offices nationwide but with other Asia Pacific countries as well. This content development component is linked with the e-Knowledge Public Domain Project of NatCom in cooperation with AIJC, CICT and Intel Microelectronics with support from UNESCO.