Smart backs Red Cross mobile app for tracing

MANILA, Philippines — PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications is supporting a new mobile application launched by the Philippine Red Cross to help health authorities in contact tracing of COVID-19 cases.

Smart said it is enabling its subscribers to download and use the mobile app, called RC143, free of data charges.

“Data is an important weapon in the fight against COVID-19. RC143 can gather information that will help individuals protect themselves and also help health authorities take more effective action to control and defeat this pandemic. This is why we at PLDT and Smart are supporting the Philippine Red Cross in this initiative,” PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president and CEO Alfredo Panlilio said.

RC143 is an application that will enable contact tracing using the geo-location and sensory capabilities of smartphones.

The app will also enable its users to get information on their likely levels of exposure to the virus.

With the user’s consent, the app will track movements using the location facility of the user’s mobile phone.

The information will go to a database through which the Philippine Red Cross will be able to determine which individuals have come into contact with COVID-positive cases.

“The app will be a great force-multiplier for the Philippine Red Cross’ first responders in our active monitoring and efforts to assist affected persons and many more people and communities at risk,” Philippine Red Cross secretary general Elizabeth Zavalla said.

Smart has also provided for free an SMS broadcasting service to the Philippine Red Cross in their information dissemination programs to fight the pandemic.

Smart Messaging Suite powered by Soprano will provide Red Cross 100,000 free text messages per month to strengthen their messaging capabilities to their constituents and other organizations to augment their communications efforts.

The service is one of the many efforts PLDT and the MVP Group of companies have been undertaking to assist government agencies and non-governmental organizations in their efforts to control the spread of the virus and assist the general public.