As you probably know by this time, Luzon is under an Enhanced Community Quarantine Period due to COVID-19. That means we have to stay home so that we either not get the virus or spread it around. This also means that we have lots of time to either relax or be productive.
But sometimes, we have to stock up on supplies. That’s where Home Quarantine Passes are given. Now for the next set of questions: Where do we stock up on our food (or medicine) this season? How do we send or receive cash?
I got a tip from a friend that a group of volunteers called Good Vibes Digital has organized a website to crowd-source info on which supermarkets, banks and drugstores are open – the CrowdStoreFinder.
I’ll let the team discuss what this crowdsourced store finder does:
Called ‘Crowd Store Finder’, the website works like Waze or Google Maps that scans through the user’s neighborhood to find stores, banks, pharmacies, and remittance centers that remain operational.
Under government guidelines, only establishments selling basic commodities are allowed to open during the quarantine period. This is to prevent people from staying outdoors that increases their risk of catching COVID-19.
Aside from knowing the open establishments, users can also chat with their neighbors who are currently using the website to ask questions and seek further assistance.
‘Crowd Store Finder’ relies on information shared by volunteers from Good Vibes Digital PH, a group organized by Trinmar Boado, winner of the Clash of Codes competition at Multisys Technologies in 2019.
Boado, who works at the Department of Science and Technology’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC), said more than 100 volunteers are coordinating safely from their own homes.
“This technology reminds us that sharing of info does not just save the time of other people but also their lives,” shared the IT expert.To use the website, visit bit.ly/CrowdStoreFinder on any mobile, tablet or computer devices. Follow Crowd Store Finder on Facebook at fb.com/storefinder.ph.
This way, we can help others find their way at the same time spend our time being productive.
I’m going to include my data on this website (and you can too – just log in to bit.ly/CrowdStoreFinder using your Google or Facebook account and you can point out which stores or banks are open, until what time they are open, and more.