MMDA inaugurates new Command Center

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has inaugurated its new Communications and Command Center (CCC).

Housed within its new head office in Pasig City, the aforementioned office will serve as the “nerve center of Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares.”

Per MMDA, the CCC will have state-of-the-art facilities including operations center, data center, situation room, viewing room, media room, and power room as well as new technologies such as high-definition closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, intelligent traffic signalization system, and Hytera radio smart dispatch system with built-in global positioning system (GPS).

MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Romando Artes claimed that newly-opened CCC is the “biggest, most advanced, and most cost-effective command center in the country.”

"This is a major step for MMDA to make Metro Manila a safe and smart metropolis by using smart technologies and data analytics to aid the country into its economic development and strengthened security," Artes said during the inauguration ceremony.

According to the agency, the MMDA CCC has an operations center that has ergonomic console system, which reduces ambient noise levels. It also has a video wall system that will accommodate flood control monitoring and video feed from body-worn cameras used by its traffic enforcers.

Meanwhile, its data center concentrates on information and communication technology equipment. In the future, the area will have the capacity to accommodate 25 server racks.

The MMDA CCC also features a Situation Room where leaders and decision-makers can convene should a major incident occurs. “Activation of the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council shall occur if there is an incident involving two or more cities,” the MMDA explained.

Further, the command center shall also keep an eye on critical and major infrastructure projects in the metro with its 403 high-tech CCTV cameras and adaptive and sensor-based traffic lights. Currently, the agency is mounting 638 CCTV cameras along major thoroughfares in the National Capital Region (NCR) as well as 166 more CCTV cameras with data analytics connected along EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue) Bus Carousel.

Moreover, the agency laid 899,239 meters of fiber optics across Metro Manila and is currently laying additional 105,360 meters — the longest fiber optic cable network owned by a government agency.

Furthermore, remote controlling and programming of the intelligent traffic signalization system (which features adaptive and sensor-based traffic lights) shall also be done in the MMDA CCC.

The MMDA CCC also features the Hytera Radio Smart Dispatch System – a dispatch software with built-in GPS and smart map to locate traffic enforcers real-time and to communicate with other radio users should there be a need to relay an instruction or to help address an emergency situation.

Among the MMDA’s future plans include the installation of 45-kilometer fiber optic cable to be able to integrate NCR LGU CCTV cameras, and procurement of artificial intelligence program with vehicle classification, car counter, license plate, and facial recognition.

Likewise, the agency will procure a mobile command center with own satellite internet and remote CCTV capabilities to monitor significant events.

Photos from Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

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