HyDEPP SATREPS holds consultation meeting with local partner agencies
June 14, 2022
The UPLB Interdisciplinary Studies Center for Water (UPLB IdSCW), organized and hosted a consultation meeting with local partner agencies on May 27, 2022 at the Microtel Acropolis in Quezon City. The purpose of the meeting was to present current updates and to explore further collaborations in upcoming activities. The 5-year joint project between Japan and the Philippines is now in the 1st quarter of its 2nd year. Due to the pandemic, meeting and updates had been restricted to online platforms. This was the first time to have a face-to-face meeting since then.
Representatives from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as well as from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and UP Diliman were present at the venue while the members from ICHARM, as well as some other Philippine members still utilized Zoom to participate.
Dr. Patricia Sanchez (Project Manager) gave an overview and refresher of the purpose and objectives of the HyDEPP SATREPS project and set the expectations for the presentations that followed.
Dr. Roger Luyun, Jr. (Philippine side) and Dr. Tamakawa Matsunori (Japan side) discussed the Philippine counterpart efforts in bringing in needed data and the OSS-SR model respectively for Group 1: Data Collection and Sharing.
For Group 2: Flood and Drought Risk Assessment, Dr. Patricia Sanchez (Philippine side) and Dr. Rasmy Abdul (Japan side) both discussed the counterpart efforts on the WEB-RRI and SIMRIW Model. Dr. Sanchez also added the activities done in relation to typhoon Ulysses. Dr. Ralph Acierto, also from Group 2 Japan side, shared the climate change model for downscaling.
Dr. Maria Angeles Catelo (Group 4 Leader, Philippine side) then presented a DOST funding approved project which is a joint activity of Group 3: Resilience Assessment and Group 4: Economic Scenario and Policy Recommendation. Dr. Aurelio Delos Reyes, Jr. (Philippine side), then presented the efforts of a subgroup under Group 3 which focuses on the turbidity of Laguna de Bay.
Lastly, Dr. Miho Ohara (Project Director, Japan Side and a member of Group 4) introduced Dr. Tomohiro Tanaka replacing Dr. Muneta Yokomatsu as Group 4 Leader from Japan side. She also briefly discussed Dr. Tanaka’s Agent-Based Model to be used in the project.
After the group updates, Dr. Ohara shared the training plans and tentative schedules for the activities. All agencies expressed interest in joining the trainings particularly in the WEB RRI and SIMRIW model.
Dr. Fernando Sanchez, Jr. (Project Director, Philippine side) closed the event by highlighting the crucial role of the project given the current climate crisis affecting the economy as well as the lives of the Filipinos. Project members and stakeholders are looking forward to collaborate in completing the output of the project to be utilized for the benefit of their offices, all leading to effective adaptation and management of water-related disasters.