Philippine members attend training in Japan
December 14, 2022
Philippine project members of the HyDEPP SATREPS project attended the training in Japan last November 27 - December 10, 2022. The training was organized by the International Center for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) and consisted of Lake and River Management in Japan as well as Flood and Drought risk assessment technology. It served as continuation of the learnings from the e-learning sessions also organized by ICHARM and aimed at enhancing the technical knowledge and skills the members need for the project.
The participants were welcomed by Dr. Miho Ohara (Project Leader, Japan side) and the staff of ICHARM at Narita Airport. Attendees from the Philippines were Dr. Roger Luyun, Jr. (Group 1 Leader); Dr. Aurelio Delos Reyes, Jr. (Group 2 Leader) together with the Dr. Mona Liza Delos Reyes, Dr. Jessica Villanueva-Peyraube, Dr. Janice Sevilla-Nastor, Dr. Alma Lorelei De Jesus, Dr. Loucel Cui, Dr. Evaristo Nino Cando, III. Ms. Catherine Gigantone, Ms. Jessa Aquino, Ms. Therese Olviga and Mr. Francis Faderoagao (project mebers from UPLB). Representatives from UP Diliman namely Ms. Liezl Anne Sumagaysay and Mr. Melvin Raymund Dangin were also among the attendees.
Opportunities to meet face-to-face were taken by both the Philippine and Japan side with Group 1 Leaders Dr. Luyun and Dr. Masaki Yasukawa (Japan side) in the discussion of organizing a training specific for their study on July 2023. Dr. Tomohiro Tanaka (Group 4 Study Leader, Japan side) was also able to meet the Philippine members from the same group to discuss his Agent-Based Model in more detail.
The entire duration of the training included a series of lectures in ICHARM and several universities namely the University of Tokyo, University of Shiga Prefecture and Tokyo University. Offices such as the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Lake Biwa Environmental Research Institute and DELL Technologies were also part of the itinerary. Lastly, rivers and lakes such as the Kinu River Basin, Tsurumi River Basin and Sumida River Basin were also site visited to observe the river management in each.
The program concluded with a closing ceremony at the Kyoto University before departure back to the Philippines. Upon arrival, the participants already started to set a schedule for a workshop for the benefit of the members who were unable to join the training. Both the trainers and trainees now hopes for an enhanced involvement in the activities for the upcoming year.