By: Carlo Carlos

The OML Center took part in the two-day Users’ Training on the e-Management Platform: Accountability and Transparency Hub for Yolanda (eMPATHY) held last 11-12 September 2014 at the STI Academic Center in Taguig City. The eMPATHY and training program was initiated by the Office of the Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR).

The eMPATHY is a program that aims to monitor all initiatives and projects along the Yolanda-affected areas. This interface shall also serve as “watchdog” and project hub where people can view the status and progress on the rehabilitation efforts of the different implementors along the Yolanda-affected areas.

The Users’ Training on eMPATHY allows the CSOs, government agencies, LGUs, private organization and other groups working on the rehabilitation of Yolanda-affected areas to familiarize with the information needed to be filled out on creating a repository of rehabilitation efforts. Further, the training gave an opportunity to refine and improve the program through the identified problems from the software that is being developed. The sallient features of the eMPATHY include the creation of project information for the project implementors. Aside from that, the software can also organize information one would be needing regarding Yolanda rehabilitation efforts. It is expected that the eMPATHY to be fully operational by mid-October.

OML Center’s involvement in the region is the Evidence-based Rehabilitation of the Yolanda-affected areas that include vulnerability assessment, and ecosystems rehabilitation and management in Tacloban City, Palo, Ormoc City, Quinapondan and General MacArthur, Eastern Visayas.