On 13-17 November 2017, the DPPC members joined the Regional DRR conference of the Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform (JASTIP) Working Package 4 (WP4: Disaster Management) held at Seda Vertis North Hotel in Manila, Philippines. The members also visited several key universities working on DRR research including Batangas State University, University of the Philippines Diliman and Ateneo de Manila University.
The JASTIP WP4 meeting was co-organized with the UNESCO-IHP members and gathered over 60 prominent DRR experts from Asia and other regions. Disaster issues raised in the meeting were diverse, including flood control, water security, geohazard management and risk assessment methodologies. The Japanese MDRM lecturers, including Prof. Kuniyoshi Takeuchi (Prof. Emeritus of Yamaguchi University, founding director of ICHARM) and Prof. Norio Maki (Kyoto University) also joined the conference. The next JASTIP WP4 meeting is planned to be hosted by DPPC at MJIIT in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
During the visit to Batangas State University (BSU), President Prof. Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo chaired the joint meeting to discuss on collaborative possibilities in research, student and faculty exchange and professional training for local disaster managers. In the last half of the session, local disaster management practitioners, including Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Olivia M. Luces, participated in the meeting to discuss about interfacing researchers and practitioners to jointly build local resilience to disasters.
DPPC members later visited the Resilience Institute located at the NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) Project Office at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Joined by Prof. Dr. Emmanuel M. Luna of College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD), the meeting was held with NOAH Director, Prof. Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay (via Skype) and his team. The Resilience Institute is a platform that brings together experts belonging to various faculties within the UP system to in order to tackle DRR as a holistic and integrated research issue.
The last stop was at Ateneo de Manila University in which DPPC members were received by the group from Manila Observatory represented by Prof. Dr. Emma Porio and other faculty members. The Manila Observatory has been undertaking on the International Research Initiative on Adapting to Climate Change (IRIACC) Coastal Cities at Risk (CCaR) Project in which the phase 2 of the project will establish a new climate change adaptation course. They are also active in functioning as the interface that has been connecting DRR stakeholders from the public sector, private sector and academia.
DPPC will continue to conduct its outreach activities in ASEAN countries to build a sustaining network of DRR researchers and practitioners and create opportunities to co-learn and collaborate in assisting disaster-prone countries and communities become disaster resilient.
