HyDEPP-SATREPS Philippine Members successfully completes Japan Training 2023
August 18, 2023
The participants of HyDEPP SATREPS Japan Training 2023 concluded the short and long courses during the closing ceremonies held last August 2 and August 9, 2023, respectively. Through presentations, each trainee shared their journey, learnings, and ways forward with supervisors, project members, and the project management team.
The first closing ceremony last August 2nd was organized for short course participants: Mr. Francis F. Faderogao and Engr. Allan T. Tejada, Jr. of Group 1 (Data management technology course) and Dr. Roger A. Luyun, Jr., and Dr. Rubenito M. Lampayan of Group 2 (River flow monitoring technology course). Physically present in the closing ceremony includes Dr. Miho Ohara (Project Leader/The University of Tokyo), Dr. Kentaro Aida (ICHARM), Dr. Atsuhiro Yorozuya (PWRI), Dr. Katsunori Tamakawa (ICHARM), Dr. Naoko Nagumo (ICHARM), Dr. Kensuke Naito (ICHARM), Asst. Prof. Vicente Ballaran (UPLB/ICHARM), and other trainees: Dr. Joan Cecilia C. Casila (Group 2), Engr. Bryan Clark Hernandez (Group 2), Mr. Paul Edrine Mapoy (Group 3), Engr. Christine Jane Ramacula (Group 3), Mr. Luisito Abueg (Group 4), and Ms. Veronica Castillo (Group 4). The program was also attended online by Dr. Masaki Yasukawa (The University of Tokyo), Mr. Luisito Abueg (UPLB/Group 4 trainee), Ms. Veronica Castillo (UPLB/Group 4 trainee), Dr. Tomohiro Tanaka (University of Kyoto), Ms. Jessa Aquino (UPLB), Ms. Saori Kojima (JICA), Ms. Uzumi Shibano (JICA Tsukuba), Mr. Tsukasa Soma (JST), Ms. Himeno (Project Coordinator), and Forester Lantican (Project Assistant).
Ms. Kojima congratulated the four trainees for completing the course in her opening remarks. This was followed by each presentation of Mr. Faderogao and Engr. Tejada on their experiences and learnings in the Data Management Technology course. Both trainees highlighted the technologies existing in Japan (e.g. server rooms) and skills gained through hands-on training on data management tools. For Group 2, Dr. Lampayan and Dr. Luyun reported takeaways from the River Monitoring Technology course. Both of the trainees outlined fieldwork conducted with the use of different methods and measuring instruments and hands-on training with various software related to river monitoring.
After the presentation, supervisors Dr. Yasukawa (Group 1) and Dr. Yorozuya (Group 2), including other members such as Dr. Aida, Dr. Naito, and Dr. Tamakawa also congratulated the training completers and hope that they will utilize learnings in the HyDEPP-SATREPS project and other future works.
On the second closing ceremony last August 9th, trainees namely Dr. Joan Cecila C. Casila, Mr. Bryan Clark Hernandez, Mr. Paul Edrine Mapoy, Engr. Christine Jane Ramacula, Ms. Veronica Castillo, and Mr. Lusito Abueg reported their experiences and gained knowledge and skills in the courses. Additionally, the closing ceremony was attended by Dr. Ohara (Project Leader/The University of Tokyo), Dr. Aida (ICHARM), Dr. Tamakawa (ICHARM), Dr. Nagumo (ICHARM), Dr. Badri Bhakta Shrestha (ICHARM), Asst. Prof. Ballaran (UPLB/ICHARM) and Ms. Kojima (JICA). Online participation was made by Dr. Mohamed Rasmy Abdul Wahid (ICHARM), Dr. Tanaka (University of Kyoto), Dr. Eugene Herrera (UP Diliman), Ms. Chihiro Mototani (JICA Philippines Office), Ms. Teresa Mendoza (JICA Philippines Office), Ms. Himeno (Project Coordinator), and Forester Lantican (Project Assistant).
Dr. Casila and Mr. Hernandez, from another set of Group 2 trainees, emphasized the importance of the topics learned from the Hydro-agricultural Modeling Technology course. Specifically, they pointed out data preparation and simulation of WEB-RRI, including field visits they had during their stay in Japan. On the other hand, Group 3 trainees Mr. Mapoy and Engr. Ramacula highlighted mapping skills gained and hazard map outputs of Pila, Laguna in the Philippines under the Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Assessment Technology course. Lastly, Mr. Abueg and Ms. Castillo shared learnings on coding considering socioeconomic parameters and experiences in the agent-based model (ABM) simulations.
Supervisors, Dr. Rasmy (Group 2), Dr. Ohara (Group 3), and Dr. Tanaka (Group 4), including other Japanese members who joined the training journey, gave their comments and appreciation for the efforts made by the trainees. Additionally, they hope participants share the gained knowledge from the courses and look forward to continuing collaborations in the project.
ICHARM Executive Director, Prof. Toshio Koike gave his comments and congratulatory messages to the presenters and reminded them to re-echo the lessons learned in Japan. Ms. Kojima also congratulated completers and expressed JICA’s support in addressing disaster risk reduction efforts in the Philippines.
Through the Japan training, the HyDEPP-SATREPS looks forward to strengthening collaborative efforts for both the Philippines and Japanese sides to achieve the objectives of the project.