With this, Packetworx and ThingsPH has made a notable contribution to the city’s game changing initiative.  They officially donated flood and rainfall monitoring devices as part of an IoT Disaster Management Solution.  These companies also installed and provided free access to LoRaWAN gateways.  These gateways form the backbone of a connectivity infrastructure that allows IoT devices to communicate.

Packetworx is the first and only LoRaWAN connectivity provider in the country.  ThingsPH is a Nagueño startup that provides IoT software platforms and solutions.

Packetworx and ThingsPH’s connectivity infrastructure and IoT Platform will significantly spur the growth of IoT innovations and startups in the city. Together with the ADNU MAGIS TBI’s IoT Laboratory (set up in partnership with the City Government of Naga, Ateneo de Naga University, and NEDA) and the city government’s startup development efforts, this donation will create a better environment for innovators to create impactful solutions and for leaders to make data-driven decisions for the overall welfare and benefit of the community in the long run.

The LoRaWAN connectivity infrastructure, which now covers 80% of the city, will also complement the city’s Startup Development Program (under local Ordinance No. 2021-057) by providing a network that IoT developers and their prospective clients can use.   Currently, the ADNU MAGIS TBI, Naga City Investment Board, Packetworx, and ThingsPH are supporting more than a hundred local IoT development projects.

Near the conclusion of the event, Packetworx and ThingsPH officially announced that the regional leg of the 2024 IoT Conference in the South Luzon area will be held in Naga City, an indication of Naga’s technological innovation for the Philippines’ IoT ecosystem. (Krizia Francine Coronel, ITPO)

Related: Naga City Welcomes IoT Equipment and Platform Donation from Packetworx and ThingsPH for Innovative Disaster Resiliency

Ms. Maria Raisa Ysaac-Orbon, Chief Marketing Officer of Packetworx, Inc., and Mr. Ferdinand Yanto III, Chief Executive Officer of ThingsPH Inc., led their respective teams in the formal turnover ceremony to Vice Mayor Cecilia De Asis and the entire City Council. Also present were City Administrator Elmer Baldemoro and key department heads, signifying a collective commitment towards leveraging technology for the benefit of the community.

The donation allows the city government to remotely monitor, in real time, possible and actual instances of flooding in key areas.  Continuous gathering of data from remote sensing equipment  installed in strategic areas will also allow the City to do analytics on rainfall and flooding patterns.

Among the donated equipment are:

Flood Monitoring Devices:

• 3 units of packetSENSE Ultrasonic Proximity Sensors, deployed to bridges including Tabuco Bridge, Matiway Bridge, and Mabolo Bridge.
• 3 units of packetSENSE Submersible Level, deployed in critical areas such as CBD2: Ninoy-Cory Ave., Calauag and Concepcion Pequena.

Rainfall Monitoring Devices:

• 3 units of packetSENSE Rainfall, strategically placed on key structures such as at the City Hall Compound, Naga City People’s Mall and Brgy. Panicuason.

Communication among the devices is enabled by ten (10) LoRaWAN gateways installed in  various locations in the city.  Data gathered are visualized through a dashboard/platform  designed by ThingsPH.

The IoT devices will be able to generate hyperlocal reports which will serve as an early-warning system for flooding and preemptive monitoring of water bodies. This will empower Naga in ensuring rapid emergency management and timely dissemination of updates and alerts to  citizens. The integration of an IoT platform and analytics will significantly improve data-driven planning, enhancing the city’s disaster preparedness and response capabilities.

The City Government of Naga extends its heartfelt gratitude to Packetworx and ThingsPH for their generous donation and unwavering support towards building a safer and more resilient city.