As most of the country transitions to general community quarantine, the sense of normalcy that we so missed is slowly coming back. However, it is still best to be informed and practice safety precautions as quarantine protocols ease up and more people begin to leave their houses.

In times like this, a tool like RC143, a contract tracing app created by the Philippine Red Cross, is a must-have on every mobile phone. With this app, users can easily track their risk level, identify and avoid high-risk zones, and directly communicate with Red Cross personnel for questions about COVID-19 and medical assistance.

Globe has recently partnered with the Red Cross to provide support for RC143 by enabling mobile services like SMS alerts and app advisories. With this, the Red Cross can update and coordinate with more users efficiently and make accounts authentication and verification more convenient for users.

While anybody who has an active PH mobile number can use RC143, Globe and TM mobile customers may now access the app all for FREE. You can make the most out of the app’s features without worrying about spending mobile data. Users can download the app via the Google Play Store. RC143 is currently available for Android (version 6.0 and above) users.

“With GCQ and MGCQ policies now slowly being implemented to more areas, we can now expect more people to resume their daily outdoor activities. This makes it more critical to equip our kababayans with access to the right digital tools such as the RC143 app to safeguard their health and safety, and in turn, that of their bigger communities,” said Albert de Larrazabal, Chief Commercial Officer at Globe.

The Philippine Red Cross developed RC143 to help more Filipinos protect themselves and their community from COVID-19. Through the wireless geo-location and sensory capabilities of phones such as Bluetooth and GPS, the app traces contact events between users that allows the Red Cross to notify users if they had contact (direct or indirect) with a COVID-19 positive patient.  All necessary information are gathered and used with user’s consent.

Aside from the RC143 app, Globe customers can also access the official websites of the Department of Health (DOH) and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for free as part of the company’s effort to keep the public informed on the latest COVID-19 updates. (Jonathan Castillo)