On June 17, 2025, a river monitoring activity was conducted in the Santa Maria–Mabitac–Pagsanjan area as part of ongoing research under the HyDEPP-SATREPS Project (Group 3: Assessment of water-related disaster resilience), aimed at enhancing the understanding of sediment inflows into Laguna de Bay. The fieldwork was led by Dr. Menglu Qin from the International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) and Dr. Roger Luyun, Jr., HyDEPP-SATREPS Group 1 Project Leader, alongside graduate students Mr. Dhoz Arizobal (MS student) and Ms. Glaiza Visitacion (PhD student).

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The activity aimed to verify actual river channel conditions, which had initially been estimated using satellite imagery and secondary sources such as Google Earth. This on-site verification is crucial to improving the accuracy of hydrological and sediment modeling in the region.

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Also joining the fieldwork were Dr. Ruben M. Lampayan (HyDEPP-SATREPS Group 2 Project Leader), Dr. Maurice A. Duka, and Mr. Alvin Joseph S. Dolores from UPLB; Ms. Pang Zhaoxia from the University of Tokyo; and Ms. France Mae M. Sanchez, JICA Project Assistant.

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Dr. Qin identified and mapped 13 observation points, beginning in Santa Maria, proceeding through Mabitac, and ending in Pagsanjan. At each location, the team conducted measurements of water surface levels from bridges and observed river and sediment conditions, which are critical to understanding the hydrological dynamics feeding into Laguna de Bay. To supplement physical observations, the team conducted interviews with local residents to gather firsthand information regarding historical flood conditions, local countermeasures, and government initiatives to mitigate disaster impacts.

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The results and insights gathered from this fieldwork will be presented at the upcoming Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) Meeting, contributing to the evaluation and modeling of sediment inflows into Laguna de Bay as part of broader disaster risk reduction and environmental management efforts.