KORONADAL CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) unveiled the agency’s first disaster monitoring hub in the country to help other agencies efforts in ensuring communities in Central Mindanao can withstand manmade and natural hazards, a senior official said Friday.

Cezario Joel Espejo, DSWD-12 regional director, who led the opening of Regional Information Communication Technology Management Service on Thursday, said the monitoring center, first among DSWD offices across the country, will serve as platform for regional preparedness in times of natural and human-induced risks.

The command center set up inside the agency’s regional office compound in this city can monitor typhoons, rains, thunderstorms, temperature, clouds, waves and air quality.

At the same time, the facility can be also used for in-house trainings, Geographic Information System Presentations, and Video Conferencing.

“We are a disaster-prone country. Having such innovation in our office will help reduce disaster risks,” Dir. Espejo said. (DSWD / Jeoffrey Maitem)