Manila: The Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday rolled out the Project Learning Institution Geohazard Tracking and Assessment for Safety Plus (LIGTAS+) to ensure the safety of learners and teachers against natural disasters. Project LIGTAS+, an advanced risk intelligence platform, seeks to reduce disruption in learning and protect vulnerable families from calamities.

According to Philippines News Agency, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara stated that the platform will help prevent families from 'falling deeper' into poverty when disaster hits. He emphasized the fulfillment of President Bongbong Marcos' mandate to use innovation for safety and stability. The platform aims to transition from guesswork to a data-driven future where no child's education is lost to a storm.

Under Project LIGTAS+, there will be real-time delivery of school-specific risk profiles using geospatial analytics, satellite imagery, and historical hazard data. It also features an interactive multi-hazard map and flood intelligence powered by satellite SAR data, as well as earthquake impact assessments, volcanic activity monitoring, and AI-powered weather forecasts, which can provide outlooks up to 10 days in advance.

This initiative means that early warnings for extreme heat or landslides will be issued before reaching critical levels, making schools safer environments. The project is designed to generate granular hazard views, enabling decision-makers to move beyond broad assumptions toward more context-specific actions.

Project LIGTAS+ also allows DepEd to identify which schools are at risk or safe to open, providing alternatives to blanket class suspensions. The platform is currently in its pilot implementation phase, supporting disaster response and safety planning, as well as contributing to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service's situational reports during disaster events.