This article was first published on Rappler

Currently, when conditions are dire, and time is of the essence, both communications and distribution channels experience disruption. This is costly and significantly hampers the coordination of various working groups that are responding to the situation. Factors such as conflict, hostility, weather, geography and shortages are variables that hamper response groups. When communications breakdown, distribution channels, in the form of logistics, disbursement and displacement of aid are also affected. At times, miscommunications in critical situations are costly mistakes that have major setbacks to the relief efforts.

To make communications shock-proof, information relay should be filed in a streamlined and chronological order. This is to ensure that the precise information and factual evidence are relayed across the communications channel despite the volatility of the situation.

This is where MegaPhone comes in. MegaPhone will be designed and developed to “listen” and “give voice” to the people affected by crises and calamities. It is a two-way communications system where information provided by people who need aid will reach agencies or response groups. In return, agencies and response groups can relay information about the proposed actions to be taken. Being more than a messaging system, MegaPhone will curate vital information and factual evidence gathered for proper documentation that will involve conditions, legalities and suffrages from crisis areas.

The interoperability of the communications system of Megaphone will provide non-profit organizations with a highly-reliable response program that is built to enable multi-lateral, two-way communications channel to relay information during periods of crisis.

With MegaPhone, it will help augment the response quality of NGOs based on the following factors, that will be developed during the hackathon:

1. Documentation – Will be used to document and record information based on the feedback gathered from the people who are affected by a crisis or calamity.

2. Transparency – With a public record that is based on distributed ledgers, transactions are irreversible and cannot be manipulated to go against its nature, therefore eliminating potential abuse and anomalies.

This project will use object-oriented programming language like C/C++, Javascript and/or Java. HTML and CSS will be utilized as well in creating the MegaPhone Social Active Participation and Blockchain technology for the distributed, trusted and immutable ledger. Possible partners for this project will be coming from the non-profit organizations such as The IO Foundation, Communities First, some Philippine government agencies like DSWD, DENR and among others.

The Team
Aldrin Salonga – Blockchain Specialist
Eraño Azaña – Developer
Luieben Lu – Lead QA
Gerald Monton – UI/UX Developer
Franchez Alyce Ty – UI/UX Developer / Documentations