Manila, Feb. 18 -- The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has launched a drone-assisted medicine delivery at Barangay Niogan, Pililla town in Rizal province -- said to be the first ever in Southeast Asia.

The launch was made in partnership with mWell and Philippine Flying Labs on Jan. 31.

In a news release on Tuesday, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said the program is part of the SMART Villages and SMART Islands (SVSI) framework that seeks to use delivery-by-drone to address challenges posed by "geographic barriers, limited transportation, and logistical issues."

"Filipinos living in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) face life-threatening delays in accessing medications and medical service...