On June 20, 2025, the Project for Development of a Hybrid Water-Related Disaster Risk Assessment Technology for Sustainable Local Economic Development Policy under Climate Change in the Philippines (HyDEPP-SATREPS) Project successfully held its 8th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) Meeting at the Balay Kalinaw Hall, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City. 

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A total of 50 participants attended the event, with 34 joining onsite and 16 participating online. The attendees were represented by the project members from the different institutions namely from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), University of the Philippines Diliman, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), the University of Tokyo, Tohoku University, International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM), Japan Science and Technology (JST), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

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The opening message from Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr., Project Director of Philippines side of HyDEPP- SATREPS, welcomed the participants and reiterated the importance of the meeting as a continuation of the discussions held in previous JCC. He emphasized the goal of finalizing policy briefs for the Pampanga and Marikina River basins, grounded in scientific and research-based results.

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Dr. Miho Ohara, Project Leader of HyDEPP-SATREPS, provided a comprehensive overview of the project's progress. She highlighted key milestones achieved since the last JCC, including the completion of climate and hydrological modeling, socio-economic assessments, and resilience analyses. Dr. Ohara also emphasized that the project has entered its implementation phase, wherein draft policy briefs based on simulation results and stakeholder consultations are being consolidated. Several detailed presentations followed soon highlighting the progress of each group activities. Technical presentations were also given to further support the details of the project progress.

 

The meeting concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Patricia Ann J. Sanchez, Project Manager of Philippines side of HyDEPP-SATREPS. She thanked all participants for their active engagement and expressed hope for the successful completion of the project’s final phases.

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The HyDEPP-SATREPS Project continues to serve as a model for international research collaboration, linking science, policy, and practice to address pressing challenges in water-related disaster risk and basin management in the Philippines.