MMDA inaugurates new command center
METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes led the inauguration of the agency’s Communications and Command Center (CCC) in its new head office in Pasig City.
The MMDA CCC which will serve as the “nerve center of Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares”, will house state-of-the-art facilities including operations center, data center, situation room, viewing room, media room, and power room as well as new technologies such as high-definition closed circuit television cameras, intelligent traffic signalization system, and Hytera radio smart dispatch system with built-in GPS.
Artes said the MMDA CCC is the biggest, most advanced, and most cost-effective command center in the country.
“This is a major step for MMDA to make Metro Manila a safe and smart metropolis by using smart technologies and data analytics to aid the country into its economic development and strengthened security,” Artes said during the inauguration ceremony attended by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Metro Manila mayors, other top cabinet members, and elective officials.
“In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s push for digitalization for government services, this would help the public through faster and more synchronized road emergency response, disaster response, traffic management, flood management, crisis management, and public safety,” added Artes.
The Operations Center has an ergonomic console system, environmentally designed wherein ambient noise levels are controlled. It also has a video wall system up for expansion to accommodate flood control monitoring for Flood Control Information Center (FCIC) Effective Flood Control Operation System (EFCOS) and video feed for body-worn cameras to be used by MMDA traffic enforcers.
Meanwhile, the Data Center is a centralized location where information and communication technology equipment is concentrated. It can accommodate 25 server racks in the future.
Leaders and decision-makers can also convene in the MMDA CCC Situation Room in case a major incident, either a man-made or natural hazard disaster happened. Activation of the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MMDRRMC) shall occur if there is an incident involving two or more cities.
The MMDA CCC will monitor 403 high tech CCTV cameras installed across critical and major infrastructure projects in the metro (including MMDA pumping stations, bus bays, waterways, Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach) and adaptive and sensor-based traffic lights — both linked through the fiber optic network owned by the agency.
Remote controlling and programming of the intelligent traffic signalization system which features adaptive and sensor-based traffic lights shall also be done in the MMDA CCC.
Another new technology in the MMDA CCC is the Hytera Radio Smart Dispatch System – a dispatch software with built-in global positioning system (GPS) and smart map to locate traffic enforcers real-time and to communicate with other radio users to relay important messages in the field should there be a need to relay an instruction or when an emergency situation occur.
Artes said the inauguration of the MMDA CCC is just the beginning as the agency continues to develop ICT projects for the benefit of Metro Manila residents.
