‍MANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Sonny Angara has ordered public schools nationwide to integrate the LIGTAS+ disaster monitoring system into their preparedness routines as hundreds of schools remain affected by floods and other hazards.

LIGTAS+, or Learning Institution Geohazard Tracking and Assessment for Safety, is designed to help school officials identify risks earlier and make decisions before disasters disrupt classes and school operations.

“We can’t just wait for a storm or earthquake to strike before we act. With LIGTAS+, we can anticipate risks early so our school leaders can make timely, informed decisions before hazards turn into emergencies,” Angara said.

The system was developed by the Department of Education’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service and the Education Center for AI Research.

It combines artificial intelligence, weather forecasts, satellite radar imagery and data from government and international scientific agencies to generate school-level hazard alerts.

The directive comes as recent weather disturbances continue to take a toll on schools.

Angara recently joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in inspecting flood-affected schools in Tarlac, Zambales and Pampanga, where the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and recent tropical cyclones damaged at least 622 schools and 4,025 classrooms.

Of the affected classrooms, 946 were destroyed, 806 sustained major damage and 2,274 suffered minor damage.

DepEd estimates that around P2.9 billion will be needed for response and recovery efforts in Central Luzon.

The department hopes LIGTAS+ will help schools act earlier on possible class disruptions, evacuation needs and other safety measures by giving administrators access to more localized hazard information.

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