MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Highway Patrol Group cops are not only equipped with guns, but they are now armed with tablets.
Road and vehicular accidents is one of the main reasons of road congestion and heavy flow traffic along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA). An application that would help speed up clearing road accidents was developed to help HPG cops manning the busiest highway in Metro Manila.
Galileo Software Services Inc., a tech company headed by NBN-ZTE scandal whistle-blower Jun Lozada, developed the mobile app “Parak” – another Filipino term for policemen – or Police Report Kit, which allows the traffic cops to easily respond to reports of road accidents in less than 10 minutes.
The mobile application requires the cops to take pictures of car accidents and damages which is one of the requirements of car insurance companies for insured vehicle owners in filing claims in case of having lawsuits.
In a report by Julliane Love de Jesus of Inquirer.net, eight Cloudpad tablets installed with Parak app were donated to the HPG in a ceremony held in Camp Crame; six of the tablets will be given to HPG traffic enforcers will be given to HPG traffic enforcers assigned in six choke points along Edsa, while the remaining two will be used by roving HPG patrol men.
HPG director Chief Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao said the HPG will order 20 more tablets for the remaining cops manning other congested areas of Edsa.
How does the application work?
John Moses, son of Jun Lozada, from Galileo Software taught the cops on how to use the “Parak” application during the turnover ceremonies.
“Parak” application has a form called the “Investigator Data” that needs to be filled up with the investigator’s name, e-mail rank, unit/group, birthday and address.
The application also has an SOS button used to call for tow trucks and ambulance and to dial the hotline of the cop’s respective police office.
It also requires the traffic cops to take four angle views – front, back, left and right side – of the car’s damage and the photo of the victim. Persons involved in the accident are also required to give their full name, and contact details to the police who will also take a photo of their license and the official receipt.
The final step of the application, the investigator needs to fill out the traffic incident report which includes the statements of persons involved, which could be done through the app’s voice recorder.
Despite of his absence in the ceremony held in Camp Crame, in a statement provided by Inquirer.net Lozada explained why his company came up with app for HPG.
“One of the reasons why accidents take longer to be resolved and reported is that the law requires a police investigator to be at the scene of the accident to write down the report, draw sketches before the involved vehicles can be moved out of traffic,” he said.
Lozada also acknowledge the dedication and sacrifice of HPG in solving the traffic and road congestions on roads.