LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — According to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Baguio-Benguet, Benguet is the first province where all of its municipalities agreed to use the GeoRisk Philippines Integrated Platform (GRIP) in disaster management.

The mayors of the 13 municipalities signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DOST-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and DOST Cordillera on the utilization of the technology. The signing marks the first time all municipalities in the province have simultaneously entered into a MOA with the DOST.

Under the agreement, the local government units will be provided with official GeoRiskPH accounts. This will allow them to input critical data, including information on high-risk areas within their respective jurisdictions.

DOST Baguio-Benguet Provincial Director Dr. Sheila Marie Singa-Claver said that the platform contains comprehensive data that municipal governments can utilize for decision-making, particularly regarding disaster risk reduction and management. She added that GeoRisk Philippines is a vital tool for public safety, as it helps citizens avoid hazardous areas when planning construction by showing whether a specific location is prone to risks.

Singa-Claver hopes that the municipal governments will fully utilize the platform while also acknowledging their consistent support for DOST projects in the province.

DOST Cordillera Regional Director Dr. Nancy A. Bantog stressed the importance of science-based disaster preparedness. She said that GeoRiskPH will equip the LGUs, especially their disaster risk reduction and management councils, with accurate scientific calculations in identifying vulnerable areas, enabling them to implement appropriate measures.

Bantog reminded the LGUs that the technology's effectiveness will only be achieved if it is used every day in disaster risk reduction and management.

"Scientific tools are only as effective as the actions they inform," she said.

In a message, DOST-PHIVOLCS Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol said that strengthening access to harmonized and actionable risk information is very important for a province with challenging terrain and weather conditions like Benguet.

"GeoRiskPH was not built merely as a technology platform, but as a shared public digital infrastructure that connects hazard science, geospatial intelligence, and decision-support tools," Bacolcol stated.