A project in the making, EMDRCM 2021 students Cynthia Diaz, Carlos Centeno, Jr., and Ludwig Federigan submitted a mobile application project called “Padayon Donation Matching App” and joined in the AHA Centre HELIX iPitch Competition, which is part of the organization’s Humanitarian and Emergency Logistics Innovation Expo that aims to capture the latest advancements in humanitarian logistics and supply chain management. This competition highlighted the top 8 innovations from all around the ASEAN region. With a stroke of luck, hard work, and perseverance, the team was able to become part of the Top 8 finalists in the competition which was held virtually from Jakarta, Indonesia, last May 25, 2021.
Starting out as a project in one of their courses, Applying Systems and Design Thinking to Disaster Risk and Crisis Management, under Professor Matthew Escobido and Professor Fernando Roxas, the team sought to explore the possibility of this project into something that various communities would be able to eventually use. The idea came from the collective experiences of the students in handling relief operations, particularly in handling donations and matching them with the needs of the recipients. The idea that eventually became an actual mobile application was materialized through the help of developers from CloudTec led by its Chief Technology Officer, Albert Diaz.
The Padayon Donation Matching App aims to bridge donations of individuals or corporations to areas that would need it most when disaster crises arise. The application addresses the problems identified in the situation reports such as monitoring, transparency, and proper accountability of the donations received and their distribution. It also aims to serve as an arm of private companies and institutions that are willing and able to donate, but unsure of which platform to use.
In the competition, the finalists presented their ideas via the Zoom platform to the judges coming from the members of the ASEAN community, namely:
- Wesley Ho – Director of Logistics of Singapore Civil Defense Force
- Director Rafaelito Alejandro IV – Office of Civil Defense – National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Philippines
- Le Quang Tuan – Deputy Director of Science and Technology, and International Cooperation Department of Vietnam Disaster Management Authority
- Adelina Kamal – Executive Director AHA Centre
- Sayuri Kakimoto – Program Coordinator of JAIF Management Team
- David Soukhasing – Managing Director Angel Investment Network Indonesia
- Benedict Cheong – Executive Director Temasek Foundation
The judges evaluated the projects presented using the five main criteria of the competition which are: (1) Fit for Purpose, (2) Innovativeness, (3) Sustainability, (4) Scalability, and (5) Social Pitch.
The PADAYON Donation Matching App competed with seven other finalists with their projects who participated in the event, namely:
- Disaster Relief Game – The Logistics Institute of Asia Pacific, National University of Singapore
- Trace Aid – Fintech Alliance Global
- Fleet for Emergency – FleetHelp
- Prototype Performance Evaluation System for Humanitarian Operations – Thammasat Business School and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
- Multipurpose Tents – NRS Relief
- THINKLog-Humanitarian Logistics Mode – TLIAP GO, The Logistics Institute of Asia Pacific, National University of Singapore
- The Youth Reporter Project – Plan International
At the end of the competition, the PADAYON Donation Matching App bagged the Sapphire Award or Best in Prototype presented by Mr. Benedict Cheong – Temasek Foundation, besting the Prototype Performance Evaluation System for Humanitarian Operations of Thammasat Business School and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
The team also received the Diamond Award or Community’s Choice Award and was presented by Naoki Minamiguchi of the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund. The Fleet for Emergency by FleetHelp has received the Opal Award or the Best in Ideation Stage Award and the Ruby Award or Best in Scale-Up Stage Award was given to THINKLog-Humanitarian Logistics Mode of TLIAP GO, of the Logistics Institute of Asia Pacific, National University of Singapore.
Winners of the competition will receive a cash prize of US$ 2000, attend a learning event in Singapore, and innovation finding advice from experts.
Indeed, this achievement of Cynthia Diaz, Carlos Centeno,Jr., and Ludwig Federigan only shows that as future DRCM leaders, through the AIM-EMDRCM program, when you put together the willingness to make a change and the drive to help one’s community, one can truly make a difference.
To know more about the Executive Master in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management program, click here.
Project presentation (00:57:50)
Announcement and presentation of Sapphire Award or Best in Prototype (02:47:30)
Announcement and presentation of Diamond Award or Community Choice (03:01:40)
