Implementing An Information System for Reporting Cases of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, Throwaway, Abandoned, Found and Unidentified Persons

Abstract

The lack of a centralized service for disseminating advisories, the need for a joint effort for finding missing Filipinos and the absence of a free and open source information system for reporting missing persons are the three issues identified as detrimental to reuniting family members that got separated. Hence, an open source Missing Persons Information System was developed.

This project falls under the e-Government domain with the objectives of implementing an information system that will integrate and consolidate all government efforts in finding missing, abducted and runaway persons and reporting throwaway, abandoned, found and unidentified persons; and promoting awareness for the public in keeping their relatives safe.

The target beneficiaries are the proposed Missing Persons Council or Commission on Missing Persons, the Philippine National Police, the Nation Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the missing and found persons, their relatives and the general public.

The linear sequential model of system development process was followed which suggests a systematic, sequential approach to software development that begins at the system level and progresses through analysis, design, coding, testing and maintenance.

For the design studies, books, articles and tutorials on JSP, Java, Struts, and iBATIS were read and existing systems were reviewed to acquire designs, standards, and best practices. General theory was used to view the interaction of unique elements as a whole.

The project can be considered a success if all the requirements and issues have been addressed, the code has been released into the public domain and a sandbox has been deployed for the country. Further measure of success are the performance of the investigators assigned to cases and the number of missing persons reunited with their families.