(L-R) Supervising Science Research Specialist Chito Patiño and PropertyGuru’s Director of Agent and Developer Products Jason Gregory hand a trophy to University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu Chancellor Liza Corro; FireCheck Project Leader Aileen Joan Vicente; and DOST-PCIEERD Representative Ariadne Pada in recognition of UP Cebu’s initiative to come up with the FireCheck project. / Contributed Photo
CEBU City, Philippines — Young developers and researchers from the University of the Philippines Cebu (UP-Cebu) received a special recognition for their proactive initiative app, “FireCheck” during the 7th PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards held on July 5 at the Fairmont Makati Hotel in Makati City.
Deane Marie Yase, FireCheck science research specialist II, said that the team was happy and honored to have received the digital innovation award presented by global brand Kohler.
“The Philippine Property Awards is a giant. Having awarded a special recognition on digital innovation is an equally gigantic deal for us. The team is saturated with happiness, to say the least. We are but deeply honored to be selected, amongst the many, and be awarded the said special recognition,” Yase told CDN Digital.
FireCheck is an urban fire hazard mapping and fire spread modelling project that envisions to “put out fire before it begins” in densely populated and fire-risk urban areas in the three highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu in Cebu province.
The project, which is the first of its kind in Metro Cebu and in the Philippines, was funded by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) through Grants-In-Aid (GIA) program.
The proactive approach will aid firefighters in the identification of the needed response procedure through its fire spread simulation in forecasting and damage estimation as well as in the development of an app for 3D-rendered community maps.
The team will fly to Bangkok, Thailand in November to also present their practical and technological innovation at the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit.
“We will address the region’s senior industry figures from more than a dozen property and technology markets in Asia-Pacific and will be speaking about technology education, the support from the UP Cebu board, and other technological or practical innovations we are working on that may impact the Philippine building sector.” she said. /dcb