THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has tapped the private sector to help protect the country’s rain forests.
PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications and Huawei Technologies Philippines (Huawei) recently formed a partnership with the DENR to pilot test an Internet of Things (IoT) solution that taps mobile technology to detect and record rain forest sounds that can help prevent illegal logging and poaching activities in the country’s rain forests.
“The DENR welcomes this collaboration between the government and the private sector to help protect the country’s forest cover. This supports Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu’s resolve to level up the enforcement mandate and capability of DENR by employing technology to complement our current systems,” Nilo Tamoria, executive director of the DENR Environmental Protection and Enforcement Task Force, said in a press statement.
“This initiative highlights the important role of technology in nation-building. As the country’s leading digital services providers, PLDT and Smart are in a unique position to leverage our platforms and technical expertise to aid in the protection of the environment. It is our hope that this significant step will not only benefit policy-makers and forest workers, but also surrounding communities who rely on rain forests for food, shelter and livelihood,” Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT chairman and chief executive officer underscored in a press statement.
The solution has been successfully deployed to five DENR-designated areas in Palawan.
Developed by US-based nongovernmental organization, Rainforest Connection, the innovation makes use of old cell phones to monitor and record ambient sounds of priority forest areas identified by the DENR. The bioacoustics are then uploaded to a cloud service using Smart connectivity. The information can be accessed via the Rainforest Connection mobile application.
Information on the mobile app may be used by key community stakeholders to interpret patterns of forest activity and take corresponding action in affected areas.
Powered by solar panels and wireless connectivity, the mobile devices will function as “Rainforest Guardians” or listening posts for sounds of the forest.
The DENR forest rangers can also access the audio recordings and get real-time recordings of chainsaws, trucks and other sounds of forest destruction.
“At Smart, an integral part of our services are initiatives that help improve the well-being of the communities we serve. By being at the forefront of technology and environmental initiatives such as this, and by leveraging our vast network coverage, Smart aims to help curb the impact of global warming and climate change,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, president and CEO of Smart Communications and executive vice president and chief revenue officer of PLDT.
As the first Philippine telco partner, Smart provided wireless connectivity to all the designated pilot sites in Palawan, namely: Cadlao Island, Maranlao and Pasadena in El Nido; and New Guinlo and Pancol in Taytay.
“As the pioneer connectivity partner for this initiative, we have been able to successfully demonstrate a complete and interoperable ecosystem for Rainforest Connection’s innovation—that which connects the key government units, primary NGOs, technology partners, and telcos to help guard the rain forests in the Philippines. Our support for this initiative underscores our commitment to provide services that promote environment stewardship and sustainability,” said Chaye Cabal-Revilla, PLDT SVP and group controller and concurrent PLDT Group chief sustainability officer.
Topher White, CEO of Rainforest Connection, said their partnership with Huawei and Smart gave them the opportunity to enable DENR forest rangers to face the challenges and dangers in protecting the country’s the last frontier through technology.
The solution has been successfully rolled out in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Indonesia, Peru, Romania and South Africa. Results have also been promising since its implementation in the Philippines. After the pilot rollout of Rainforest Connection in the country, several alerts of illegal logging in Palawan were verified and foiled by forest rangers.
“This initiative highlights our seriousness in helping create a more sustainable future for families, communities and the country,” Cabal-Revilla concluded.