Six Cebu LGUs with SMART Infocast

There are now six  local government units in Cebu which have boosted communication to public by using the infocast system.

As of press time, LGUs Cebu City, Carcar City, Bogo City,  San Remigio, and Dumanjug and Cebu Province have a full blast infocast system which enable them to announce weather, traffic and events advisories to their constituents.

The system dubbed as Smart Infocast is a text message broadcast solution by PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications.  And this was availed by the LGUs for free.

Lolito Bontigao Jr., Dumanjug Public Information Officer said the infocast system had extremely 

helped in their disaster preparedness efforts.

“Announcements reached to our farthest barangays where there is signal,” Bontigao said.

Dumanjug town receives a maximum of P10,000 worth of load each month to cover Smart and Talk n Text subscribers.

The program allows the sending of free text broadcasts and enables registered subscribers to connect with other Infocast members through a common, unique access code, making it an effective emergency communications solution. Crucial information can be sent to all Infocast subscribers, including the municipality and barangay’s disaster risk reduction and management teams.

San Remigio Information Officer Nino Wilo Ybanez, said the infocasts is really a big help in the local announcements of advisories.

“We have one of the busiest port in Cebu and announcement of trips schedules and suspension, class suspensions too are received immediately by our constituents,” Ybanez said.

San Rmigio is also given P10,000 load per month which covers more than a thousand subscribers.

Smart Communications had already reached out to several municipalities and cities in the province including schools, communities and even parishes, to improve the flow of information. (fcc/PIA7-Cebu)