Redillas and Oreta at SSMS 2026 - Taipei

 The 14th International Symposium of the Society for Social Management Systems (SSMS 2026) was held at Taiwan National University, Taipei, Taiwan on Oct. 14-15, 2026 with the theme, “Social Management Systems: For the Future Quality of Life and Well-Being associated with Asset Management Systems.” The goal of SSMS is to develop “Social Management Systems Science” as a profession for reforming and efficiently operating the social structure and contributing to Quality of Life (QOL). QOL signifies the realization of humanity—a state in which people live healthily, comfortably, happily, and with dignity. This QOL can be assured only through sustainability, achieved by asset management that responds to the deterioration of social infrastructure under constrained fiscal conditions, and through resilience, established by risk management that enables social infrastructure both to evolve in response to changing values and needs of society and individuals, and to withstand sudden threats such as natural disasters.”

DLSU Faculty members, Dr. Marla Redillas and Dr. Andres Winston Oreta, and PhD student Michael Almeida attended SSMS2026. Dr. Redillas presented  a keynote address on “Collaborative Pathways for Integrated Watershed Management: Linking Nature-Based Solutions, Research and Policy for Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Communities.” She also chaired a panel discussion on the Special Topic Session on  Integrated Watershed Management for Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Communities.

Dr. Marla Redillas delivers her keynote address at the 14^th International Symposium of the Society for Socal Management Systems held at Taiwan National University on Oct. 14-15, 2026

Dr. Andres Winston Oreta, on the other hand, presented a paper on “Human-Centered Civil Engineering Education: Aligning Curriculum with Quality of Life Outcomes” in the parallel session on Quality of Life and Well-Being. He was also one of the panel presenters in the Panel Discussion on QOL-Assured Management and Evaluation for Sustainable Mobility and Smart Urban Growth/Shrink. Dr. Oreta also chaired a parallel session on “Disaster Resilience and Management”.

Dr. Andres Winston Oreta presents a  framework on Human-Centered Civil Engineering Education

Dr. Andres Winston Oreta delivers his panel presentation on “Leveraging QOL in CE Education.”

Dr. Andres Winston Oreta poses with the three presentors in the Parallel Session on “Disaster Resilience and Management”. 

Michael Almeida (DLSU PhD student with Dr. Oreta as adviser) presents his paper on “A Performance-Based Functional Risk Assessment Model for High-Rise Buildings Using ANP–Monte Carlo Simulation.”

The Philippine Delegates at the 14^th International Symposium on the Society for Socal Management Systems (SSMS 2026) held at Taiwan National University on Oct. 14-15, 2026

Oreta and Garciano – ASEP MOSE Awardees 2026

 On the occasion of the 65^th founding anniversary of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP), 15 ASEP Fellows received the Most Outstanding Structural Engineer (MOSE) Award on September 26, 2026 at the Shangrila Hotel, Makati.

Dr. Andres Winston C. Oreta was recognized for his outstanding contribution as a Structural Engineering Educator (teaching, research and mentoring), notable contribution to ASEP (Past Director 2000-2001, Trainor in the ASEP Disaster Mitigation Preparedness Response (DMPR) Program),  contribution to Disaster Risk Reduction through publications, multi-media materials and as resource person in various conferences and seminars in civil, structural and earthquake engineering and for maintaining high ethical standards in the practice of the profession.

Dr. Lessandro Estelito O. Garciano was recognized for his significant development of the profession, notable contribution to the association (past president 2024-2025, chair of the Structural Bamboo Committee and member of the NSCP Codes Committee, DMPR Trainer and head of research),  important contributions to research (e.g. publication of the book on Seismic Design of Buried Pipelines, Bamboo Code, etc) and  for maintaining high ethical standards in the practice of the profession.

On the occasion of the 50^th anniversary of ASEP, 50 fellows were recognized. Adding the new 15 awardees, ASEP has now a total of 65 MOSE awardees on the 65^th ASEP anniversary.