New system taps social media for disaster response in PH

Tokyo-based tech firm Spectee Inc. is expanding its cutting-edge, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven disaster management system to the Philippines, with a localized version expected to expedite responses to flooding, fires, earthquakes, and even crime.

- BY DEXTER BARRO II

In collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Spectee launched on Thursday, Aug. 14, the Philippine version of its Spectee Pro system.

Spectee Pro is a cloud-based Al crisis management system that aggregates real-time information about an ongoing incident from open sources.

The system uses AI to analyze data from social media posts, meteorological measurements, and CCTV footage to provide an immediate report about an incident as it is happening and the response needed.

With the Philippines being one of the world's most disaster-prone countries, combined with its high smartphone penetration and social media usage, it is the ideal environment for quick disaster analysis.

Asked about privacy concerns, Spectee Chief Operating Officer (COO) Satoshi Negoro said the system only analyzes information from publicly available posts, which he said had already been cleared by the DICT.