TMAS no capability to alter poll results: Official

THE Zamboanga City Government’s Text Messaging Alert System (TMAS) has no capability to alter the results of the midterm polls on Monday, May 13.

Dr. Elmeir Apolinario, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), made the assurance and stressed that main application of the Swiss-made text blast machine is purely sending out appropriate and direct information to city residents during disasters.

“It is a stand-alone system. When all communication systems are down, when all Telcos are down, our TMAS can still operate and send out messages/info to guide people where to go, what to do, what to bring, etc. in times of disaster,” Apolinario said, to allay the fears of certain quarters that the machine might be used for political purposes to alter or change the election results.

The machine was bought for P10 million in 2016 and is capable of generating text messages within a radius of 3-5 kilometers.

It is similar to what other cities in Metro Manila have like Quezon City, Parañaque, Malabon, MMDA and is intended for DRRM.

“It has no other use except generating text messages to guide people during disasters,” Apolinario said. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)