Antipolo City, long known as the "City in the Sky," was unprepared for the chaos brought by Typhoon Enteng, way back September 2024. Deluging rains flooded the mountainous city, leaving homes, schools, and livelihoods in disarray.

Amid the aftermath, a beacon of hope emerged from the Antipolo City National Science and Technology High School (ACNSTHS) as a group of student researchers created the "Development of School-Based Arduino Uno Flood Alarm with SMS Capability System", utilizing different parts of the Arduino Uno sensor to provide an innovative solution to future disasters such as typhoons.

Microcontroller: The Brain of the Operation

The Arduino Uno microcontroller serves as the system's brain, accurately processing data from sensors and executing programmed instructions. Just like the microcontroller, behind the successful project is a group of researchers from Grade 12-Euler. Gezel Gonato, the research leader, together with her team—Arjane Batan, Julia Dacer, Erica Decena, Hannah Narca, and Julliana Imperial—sharing their creative minds to bring the concept to life.  

Not only that, “We asked for Sir Dorosan's guidance in building the Arduino-based prototype since he's knowledgeable in that field,” the researchers stated as they were mentored by Sir Louis Angelo Dorosan, Senior High General Physics Teacher in ACNSTHS.

Sensor Module: Imparting what was longed for

Unlike cities such as Marikina, Antipolo lacks a flood monitoring system, leaving the residents vulnerable to sudden disasters. The researchers took this unfortunate event as an opportunity to innovate something that will help the community. Similar to the sensor, being the heart of the system that monitors rising floodwaters and activates alerts when critical thresholds are reached.

“That event inspires us to create a flood alarm system to provide early emergency warnings ensuring safety and preparedness for students, staff, and the community," the researchers added in the interview..  

SMS Warning: ‘Sending Messages for Signaling’ warnings

While Arduino sensors are already widely used to detect flash floods, what makes their research prototype special is its special feature—the SMS communication module. The inclusion of an SMS communication module elevates the flood alarm system’s utility. This feature allows the system to send real-time notifications to designated recipients, such as school officials and local authorities, during emergencies.  

"Considering the damages that occurred on schools without a warning, we can mitigate the risk by having early warning systems to alert the community and local governments," emphasized by the researchers. The module ensures swift decision-making for evacuations and other safety measures, bridging the gap between detection and action.  

This Arduino flood alarm system is more than just a clever piece of technology; it's a beacon of hope and resilience for the people of Antipolo City. Awarded the "Best Research Award" at the Inquiries, Investigation, and Immersion (III) Research Defense, this project highlights the incredible potential of young people to drive real change. As the team continues to further improve their prototype for wider use, their work can inspire communities to embrace innovation and prepare for a safer, more resilient future. 

Antipolo’s experience with Typhoon Enteng revealed deep-rooted challenges like deforestation, overpopulation, and clogged drainage systems. While efforts at the local and national levels focus on long-term solutions such as reforestation and improving infrastructure, innovations like the Arduino flood alarm provide an immediate way to address these issues and help protect the community.