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ITU-D -FLASH • 2015 “With the frequency and intensity of disasters on the increase in the Asia Pacific region, it is important to have mechanisms that will re-establish communications rapidly in times of emergency,” says Ioane Koroivuki, ITU Regional Director for the Asia and the Pacific region. “The MDRU provides such a mechanism and I hope the system can be replicated for use in other parts of the Philippines and the region.”The development and deployment of the MDRU follows an agreement signed in 2014 between ITU, the Japan and the Philippines.MDRU vehicle (Credit: NTT Japan)The MDRU can also act as a data center allowing relief workers to track people who have been displaced by a disaster. The unit is self-reliant running on its own power source but is also able to harness other power sources such as generators or local active power lines.ITU, JAPAN AND THE PHILIPPINES LAUNCH MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR EMERGENCIES Journalists being briefed about the MDRU (Credit: NTT Japan)