The Biodiversity Management Bureau conducted a two-day pilot testing of the beta version of the mobile application Wildlife Agency and Citizen Law Enforcement Reporting Tool or WildALERT held last February 19-20, 2020. The mobile app is currently being developed by BMB in partnership with USAID-Protect Wildlife Project to help improve the wildlife law enforcement in the Philippines.

The pilot-testing was conducted to test the functionalities and user interface of the beta version of the app and the CRM platforms and to finalize the process flow of the system. Representatives from DENR-Knowledge and Information Systems Services and Enforcement divisions of DENR Central and Regions 3,4B,7,9,11,12,13 and NCR participated in the pilot-testing. Representatives from other enforcement agencies like the Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard and the National Bureau of Investigation which works closely with members of Task Force POGI (Philippine Operations Group on Ivory and Illegal Wildlife Trade) in wildlife law enforcement were also invited. Simultaneous submission of reports and different scenarios were tried by the participants to test the functionality, reliability and robustness of the app. The functionality of the website that handles and stores the submitted reports was also put in the test.

The initial target users of the app once it is ready for implementation will be the enforcement officers of DENR and partner agencies handling wildlife crime. A version of the app for public use for reporting wildlife crime will also be released later according to representatives from the USAID-Protect Wildlife Project.

A presentation of the mobile app after the fixing of the errors and bugs is scheduled by March 2020, which will include another testing to further evaluate the functionality and readiness of the mobile app prior to its implementation.