HyDEPP Group 3: Resilience Assessment Japanese counterpart carries out activities in the Philippines
September 25, 2023
HyDEPP-SATREPS Resilience Assessment members from Japan visited the Philippines to conduct various activities such as fieldwork, workshop/training, and meetings with cooperating agencies last September 9-15, 2023. Joining the mission include Dr. Atsuhiro Yorozuya, Dr. Menglu Qin, and Dr. Kensuke Naito from ICHARM, Dr. Kentaro Taki (Study Leader 3), Dr. Keiko Hori, and Ms. Mai Shimizu (student) from the University of Shiga Prefecture, and Dr. Sinichiro Nakamura from Nagoya University.
The group first kicked off with a field visit in Bay, Laguna together with Dr. Patricia Ann J. Sanchez (Project Manager), Ms. Catherine B. Gigantone, Engr. Allan T. Tejada, Jr., Asst. Prof. Leunell Chris Buela, Mr. Paul Edrine Mapoy, Engr. Christine Jane Ramacula (UPLB members), and Ms. Atsuko Himeno (Project Coordinator). Furthermore, four students from the College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology (CEAT) also joined the activity. The team visited flood-prone areas such as Brgy. San Antonio, Brgy. Tagumpay, Brgy. Sto. Domingo, and Brgy. Maitim with the guidance of flood extent, flood inundation depth, and flood risk maps created by Mr. Mapoy and Engr. Ramacula during the Japan Training last July to August 2023.
Following the Bay field visit were the field surveys in Sta. Maria, Mabitac, and Pagsanjan, Laguna which were participated by Dr. Rubenito M. Lampayan (Study 2 leader), Ms. Gigantone, Ms. Jay Ann Q. Lomod, Ms. Denise Kamyll M. Navarro (UPLB members), Ms. Himeno, Forester Rochelle Lantican (Project Assistant), Mr. Dhoz Arizobal, Ms. Glaiza Visitacion, and Mr. Alvin Joseph Dolores (UPLB students). The team measured water surface level from bridges and collected water and sediment samples as an essential part of river analysis interconnected to Laguna de Bay. Nearby areas such as upslopes in Sta. Maria and rice paddies in Mabitac that are landslide and flood-prone were also observed to gain a better understanding of the sites.
Both the Japanese and Philippines counterparts organized a workshop at the Ornamental Crops Nursery, UPLB last September 12th which mainly aims to find collaborations between the field of expertise and study involvements of project members. The program was attended by Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr. (Project Director) who gave the opening remarks and presented the HyDEPP-SATREPS overview, project members and staffs, students, and JICA Philippines Office representatives Ms. Teresa Mendoza and Ms. Chihiro Mototani. The study leaders namely Dr. Roger A. Luyun, Jr. (Study 1), Dr. Lampayan (Study 2), Dr. Sanchez (Study 3), and project staffs discussed respective supporting studies for HyDEPP in the Philippines side. From the Japanese counterpart, an overview and updates of the Laguna de Bay study team were shared by Dr. Naito, highlighting Unit D of Study 3 and Dr. Yorozuya had a lecture on river flow monitoring, specifically in reference to the H-Q curve and method in stream flow measurement. Furthermore, Dr. Taki gave a lecture on risk-flood floodplain management based on the case of Shiga Prefecture in Japan while his student, Ms. Shimizu, shared her wind wave energy study related to Laguna de Bay. Dr. Hori also presented her studies related to flood risks. After all the presentations, the project members gave their comments which outlined potential research collaborations about flood management. Ms. Mototani ended the workshop with closing remarks highlighting the encouragement to project members to work together and create outputs that would be adapted in the Philippines’ setting. In the afternoon session, Dr. Qin had a Rainfall-Sediment-Runoff (RSR) model training workshop with students from CEAT.
Apart from field works and workshops, the members together with Dr. Sanchez, Ms. Gigantone, and Dr. Alma Lorelei Abejero also had a meeting with the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) in Quezon City to discuss the turbidity and velocity sensors to be installed in Laguna de Bay with Engr. Jocelyn Sta. Ana and other LLDA personnels. Additionally, the meeting was an avenue to present the HyDEPP-SATREPS Project to the current General Manager Atty. Senando A. Santiago. A continued discussion on sensor installation was made in a meeting with Dr. Eugene Herrera and Mr. Jonathan Serrano at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD).
Lastly, Dr. Nakamura, Mr. Serrano, and Ms. Himeno had visits and interviews in different barangays in San Mateo, Rizal as part of the socio-hydrologic modeling research in the Marikina River Basin. The group visited the barangay halls, Municipal and Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices (MDRRMO and BDRRMO) to interview officials and understand situations whenever a typhoon or flood occurs. Water level height and dissemination of alerts were among the issues tackled during interviews. Community visits were also conducted to gain a better understanding of the areas concerned.
Project members of HyDEPP-SATREPS look forward to continue activities in November and to share recent findings in the next JCC.