Rappler’s Project Agos garners bronze in global brands awards

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler’s online disaster management platform, Project Agos, was awarded bronze in a global brands awards on Wednesday, June 10, in Makati.

The Asia-Pacific Tambuli awards, organized by the School of Communication of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), is an annual event that honors brands and campaigns that promote societal values, inspire purpose, and effect real change.

Project Agos bagged the bronze in the advocacy category.

This year’s Grand Prix winners are BBDO Guerrero’s “PHTHANKYOU” campaign for the Department of Tourism, Lowe Lintas and Partners “PO49%” (Power of 49%) for Tata Global Beverage, and “Help a Child Reach 5” (#HACR5) for Unilever.

Project Agos is an online collaborative platform that combines technology, journalism, social media and crowdsourcing in helping build communities that are resilient in the face of disasters and climate change. It aims to ensure that critical information flows to those who need it before, during, and after a disaster.

The project was launched in 2013 as a one-stop shop that brings together government, the private sector and citizens to tackle critical concerns in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

A key component of this project is the Agos Alert Map, which crowdsources critical information, particularly flooding, rescue, and relief needs. Volunteers help validate the information and those requiring action are acted on by partners in government and private sector, which include the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), among others. 

With support from the Australian government, the Project Agos team has been holding workshops all over the country to train national and local government disaster managers, civil society organizations and other volunteer groups on how to apply social media and online technologies for disseminating and sharing critical information before, during and after disasters in order attain the #ZeroCasualty goal.

During Typhoon Mario, a woman in labor was rescued from the rooftop of her house in a flooded community in Quezon City through coordinated online and onground action using social media and the Project Agos system. Riza Delgado gave birth to baby Yesha about an hour after a team from the Philippine National Red Cross, a Project Agos partner, brought her to the hospital. 

The Project Agos microsite features best practices in disaster management as well as stories that explain how communities, families and individuals can prepare for disasters and reduce risks from exposure to various hazards.

It also features hazard maps other relevant information produced by scientific partner agencies, including the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-Phivolcs), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-Pagasa), the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), DOST Project Noah, Weather Philippine Foundation and Weather Manila. 

UA&P’s Asia-Pacific Tambuli Awards was held at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza. Click here for the full list of winners. – Rappler.com 

To learn more about Project Agos and how you and your organization can be part of this initiative, email move.ph@rappler.com