British-Filipino launches mobile app to improve Philippine emergency preparedness

Another Cup of Coffee Limited, a London-based web development company, aims to improve emergency preparedness in the Philippines with the launch of Emergency Plan for iPhone. The app is a simple tool designed to store an emergency plan for an earthquake, flood, typhoon or similar event. Valuable for families who want to ensure their households are prepared to handle a crisis, it can also be used by employers to issue staff with company emergency procedures.

Existing apps tend to offer alert services geared for crisis management professionals or provide standard guidelines easily found online. In contrast, Emergency Plan for iPhone allows ordinary users to save a plan that's appropriate for their own family or work environment. Its straightforward interface delivers only the important information without unwanted distractions.

Despite the Philippines being highlighted as among the most disaster-prone countries, many Filipinos are still caught off guard by extreme weather events. Founder Anthony Lopez-Vito, who is a British-born Filipino, said, "When Typhoon Yolanda struck, my friends and colleagues with family in the area didn't know how to find their loved ones. I thought it would be great to have an app people can use for planning before another crisis." After an unsuccessful search for something suitable, Mr Lopez-Vito decided to build an app to meet the need. He continued: "These days, mobile phones--especially iPhones--are quite common but most apps are for preppers. Since your phone is a constant companion, it makes sense to use an app to keep the important elements of your plan with you at all times."

Emergency Plan is an iPhone app version of a paper-based emergency plan card. Although electronics may not be useable in a prolonged calamity, it is intended for the immediate unfolding of a crisis. Emergency Plan for iPhone is free for a limited time to gather feedback and make stability improvements.

Download on the App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/emergency-plan/id820246228