CE Faculty promotes Safer Schools through SCOSSO

Participants, Speakers and Organizers of  the SCOSSO Workshop at DLSU

On 16^th February 2017, the Department of Civil Engineering, De La Salle Manila organized the seminar/workshop of SCOSSO (­Safer COmmunities through Safer SchOols) workshop at DLSU Henry Sy Sr. Hall Roofdeck. It was attended by various representatives from different public (DPWH, DepEd, Philvolcs) and private sector (Professional Organizations, Engineering Consultancy firms), including local government and NGOs. Around 40 participants graced the event.

SCOSSO is a collaborative project among researchers and faculty members from University College London (UCL), Xavier University Engineering Resource Center (CDO) and the Department of Civil Engineering, De La Salle University (Manila) led by Dr. Leassandro Garciano and Dr. Andres Winston Oreta. SCOSSO started in September 2016 and its  main aim is to develop an innovative, advanced, multi-hazard risk assessment framework for school infrastructure in the Philippines. The SCOSSO workshop was aimed to report what the project has accomplished specifically the application of the assessment tools in schools at Cagayan de Oro. It also aimed to conduct public consultations from various sectors with concern about risk assessment and reduction, and safe infrastructure, particularly public schools.

Dr. Oreta talks about the hazard profile of the Philippines and impact of disasters to schools

Dr. Garciano presents wind and flood hazard assessment in the Philippines

Resource speakers for the said event were Prof. Dina D’Ayala, Mr. Arash Nassirpour, Mr. Nicola Branchini, and Ms. Rebecca Yore, from UCL, Engr. Dexter Lo from XU ERC, and Dr. L. Garciano and Prof. A. W. Oreta from DLSU. During the morning session, Dr. Oreta, and Dr. Garciano opened by giving talk about seismic, wind, and flood hazard assessment for the Philippines. Engr. Dexter Lo, then talked about floods and hazards in Cagayan De Oro. Prof. Dina D’Ayala followed by introducing the quantitative risk assessment for multiple hazards and then talked about global framework for safer schools.

Prof. Dina D'Ayala of University College London

In the afternoon, Mr. Arash Nassirpour gave an overview of SCOSSO project and its initial outcomes. Mr. Nicola Branchini talked about non-structural vulnerability and methodology for casualty estimation. The last SCOSSO talk about community disaster risk reduction and readiness was presented by Ms. Rebecca Yore. Before the session ends, Dr. Garciano and Prof D’Ayala provided an overview of the next collaborative research project – PRISMH (Philippines Resilience of School Infrastructure to Multi-Hazard). This project will also be undertaken by UCL, XU, and DLSU and will start this April 2017.

The SCOSSO and PRISMH Team from UCL, DLSU and XU

The DLSU SCOSSO Organizing Committee

- Reported by Richard De Jesus 

- Photos from Salvador Olaivar (FB)