DRRID2020 Graduate Forum held online

  

The Graduate Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction and Infrastructure Development (DRRID 2020) was conducted online via AnomoSpace (Canvas) Conference on 25 April 2020. The forum was facilitated by the course professor, Dr. Andres Oreta. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jojo Mutuc of the IE Department delivered an online keynote presentation on " Disaster Data Visualization and Analytics in a Pandemic using the System Dynamics Approach." The keynote presentation " illustrates the SD  approach in analyzing the well-known pandemic curve and the campaign for levelling the curve. It uses a generic contagious disease model that spreads in a community and presents its analysis thru parameter variations and graphical outputs. It also presents some simulations resulting from the implementation of government efforts to control the pandemic and compares their impact on the number of infected people and deaths. Finally, it presents some scenarios on the lifting of government interventions to control the pandemic."

The Graduate Forum on DRRID is the culminating activity of the course where each student presents his/her own seminar paper. The seminar paper on a selected topic  addresses issues of development and disasters in relation to the role of civil engineers in DRR and resilience building. The papers aim to assess the student’s ability to conduct library and internet research, to develop a concept paper for a future research or to apply tools and concepts discussed in class and learned from lectures and readings. The students are expected show an ability to communicate orally and in written form using DRRID as the theme. The DRRID2020 Proceedings and Book of Abstracts can be viewed and downloaded here: https://issuu.com/andyoreta/docs/drrid2020-proceedings

The online forum was attended by 18 graduate student paper presentors and 11 invited guests - the DRRID  resource lecturers and members of the CESDR DR unit.

The Graduate Seminar on Disaster Risk Reduction and Infrastructure Development (DRRID) is one of the integration courses in the graduate program in civil engineering. In this course, graduate students in civil engineering from various specializations and other allied programs apply their knowledge and skills to address the impact of natural hazards on the built environment, to explore ways of reducing the adverse effects of the natural hazards and to improve and build infrastructure and community resilience. Enrolled students in the course consist of five PhD students and MSCE and MEP students.

Dr. Oreta, at home, facilitating the online DRRID2020 Graduate Forum

CE DLSU Alumni and students attend the ICBR09

Last January 13-15, 2020, alumni and students from Civil Engineering of De La Salle University attended the 9th International Conference on Building Resilience held at the Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia.

CE DLSU Alumni and student representatives at ICBR09

(from left to right: Abraham Matthew Carandang, Engr. Samantha Louise N. Jarder, Carlo Cacanando, Shannon Yap, Tyra Ang, Ronald Ty and Adriam Limqueco)

The 9th International Conference on Building Resilience (ICBR) is a three-day research conference which was held in Nusa Dua Bali, Indonesia last January 13 – 15, 2020. The 9th International Conference on Building Resilience had a theme “Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Building Resilient Cities”. The conference aims to discuss global goals from the 2030 development agenda and solve issues incorporated in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation by gathering various policy makers, practitioners and researchers from different countries.

CE DLSU Alumni and student representatives at ICBR09 Gala Dinner

The Building Resilience Conference is an annual international conference exploring resilience as a useful framework of analysis for how society and cities can cope with the threat of natural and human induced hazards. The conference was is co-organized by the Research Centre for Disaster Mitigation (RCDM), the School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development (SAPPK) – ITB (Indonesia) and the Global Resilience Centre at the University of Huddersfield (UK) in association with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

Engr. Jarder and Mr. Carandang presented their papers

The following papers were presented:
• Assessment of Early Warning System Protocols in Schools Using the S.O.S. Toolkits by: Engr. Samantha Louise N. Jarder, MSCE. Co-authors: Engr. Raniel Cris Macabare, Engr. Salvador Oleivar, Abraham Matthew Carandang, Patrick Shaun Ngo, Engr. Richard de Jesus, Dr. Lessandro Estelito O. Garciano, Dr. Andres Winston C. Oreta
• Methodology for Estimating the Probable Maximum Loss (PML) of a Water Distribution Network (WDN) due to Seismic Induced Liquefaction: a Case in Iloilo City by: Engr. Samantha Louise N. Jarder, MSCE. Co Authors: Dr. Lessandro Estelito O. Garciano, Dr. Osamu Maruyama
• A Resilience Index of a Water Lifeline System using an Optimal Restoration Strategy by: Abraham Matthew Carandang. Co-author: Dr. Lessandro Estelito O. Garciano and Dr. Osamu Maruyama

CE DLSU undergraduate students with their poster

CE DLSU undergrad students (Tyra Ang, Carlo Cacanando, Adrian Limqueco, Ronald Ty and Shannon Yap) presented their poster presentation entitled “A Case Study on the Safety School Program of a Philippine High School’s Building”. The advisers for their poster presentation were Engr. Maria Emilia Sevilla and Dr. Jason Maximino Ongpeng.

DLSU CE participants with Dr. Dilanthi Amaratunga of University of Huddersfield

Dr. Marla M. Redillas at the NAST/DOST Region VI Speakers Bureau in Boracay

Dr. Marla M. Redillas, Associate Professor of the Civil Engineering Department at De La Salle University and one of the recipients of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Outstanding Young Scientist 2019 was invited to give a talk for the 2020 Speakers Bureau organized by the NAST, Philippines (NAST PHL), in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region VI on January 7, 2020 at Boracay Tropics, Balabag, Malay, Aklan.

The Speakers Bureau is a program of the NAST PHL that aims to serve provincial centers through scientific and technological lectures and assist academic institutions or any interested organizations by providing speakers and resource persons on science-related issues.

Dr. Redillas presented a topic on “Nature Based Solutions for Water-Wise Cities.” She provided an overview of the environmental challenges cities face today and how working with nature (rather than against it) could enhance the water resilience, livability and sustainability of cities. Dr. Redillas also shared her past and current research on low impact development (LID) and green infrastructures (GI).

Speakers of the NAST/DOST Region VI Speakers Bureau (fourth from the left: Dr. Arnel B. Beltran, National Scientist Lourdes J. Cruz, Dr. Marla M. Redillas OYS 2019 and Academician Dr. Mudjekeewis D. Santos together with the NAST/DOST Region VI organizers

Other presentations include Future Earth Program of the Philippines by National Scientist Lourdes J. Cruz, Philippine Blue Economy by Academician Mudjekeewis D. Santos and Solid Waste Management and Practices by Dr. Arnel Beltran. The event was concluded by a workshop and launching of Future Earth Program participated by the students and faculty of Boracay National High School.

CE Faculty at RCND2019 - Malaysia

Philippine Representatives at the RCND2019

DLSU CE Department and CESDR Disaster Resilient Unit members, Dr. Andres Oreta, Dr. Maricel Paringit and Dr. Erica Uy were selected by the AUN/SEED-Net served as paper presentors and session chairs at  the 7th Regional Conference on Natural Disaster (RCND 2019) held at Zenith Hotel, Putrajaya, Malaysia on November 25-26, 2019. 

The following papers were presented:

• Assessing the Safety, Sustainability & Accessibility (SSA) of Public Buildings for Disaster Evacuation - by Andres Winston Oreta. Co-authors: A.M. Arandia, J.A. Sy, and M.A. Valdez III

• Characterization of Cebu Province Municipalities using PSHA and GIS by Erica Elice Uy

• Determining the Social Vulnerability through GIS Hazard Susceptability Mapping by Maria Cecilia Paringit

The CE Faculty also served as session chairs: (a) Dr.Paringit - Session on DRM and DRR, (b) Dr. Oreta - Session on Flood Management and (c) Dr. Uy - Session on Environmental Science.

DLSU PhD students Michael Almeida (Mentor: Dr. Oreta) and Stephen John Clemente (Mentor: Dr. Ongpeng) also presented papers.

Welcome Dinner of the RCND2019

Dr. Oreta, Dr. Paringit and Dr. Uy also had a meeting with the director and staff of the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Center (DPPC) of MJIIT, UTM on Nov. 25, 2019 to explore collaborative activities specifically a forum between DPPC and CESDR is proposed to be held on March 18, 2020. 

Seminar on Big Data Analytics and Applications hosted by CESDR through its Transport Mobility Unit

The Transportation Engineering Division of the Civil Engineering Department organized the Metro Manila Transportation Network: Big Data Analytics and Application Final Seminar last November 25, 2019 at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall. The seminar/workshop were attended by several researchers and engineers from the government, academe and private sectors who shared their expertise on various ways to address the current traffic congestion problem in Metro Manila. Dr. Raymond Tan, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation welcomed the participants while Ms. Rachel Habana provided the opening remarks in lieu of Dr. Enrico Paringit, Executive Director, DOST-PCIEERD. DOST-PCIEERD provided the funds to conduct this research. A total of 51 participants, majority coming from the different LGUs and government agencies attended the seminar. There were 10 presentations including a presentation by Dr. Alexis Fillone on Big Data Analytics and Applications. The seminar was divided into two sessions and after each session there was a panel discussion with presenters answering questions and concerns from participants regarding the different issues in transportation.

Panel Discussion 

(From the Left: Dr. Alexis Fillone, Dr. Elmer Dadios, Dr. Robert Billones, Engr. Kervin Lucas, Engr. Riches Bacero)

The following are the titles of the remaining presentations:

·        Truck Route Modeling in Metro Manila by Engr. Riches BACERO
·        Big Data Video Analytics Towards Smart Traffic Management Systems by Dr. Robert BILLONES
·        Effects of Congestion Pricing on Vehicular Travel in BGC by Engr. Kervin LUCAS
·        Contactless Apprehension of Traffic Violators on a 24-Hour Basis and All-Vehicle Detection System (CATCH-All) by Dr. Elmer DADIOS
·        Effects of Flooding & Public Transport Routes by Engr. Raymund ABAD
·        Assessment of Characteristics of Current of P2P in Users by Engr. Paolo LUCERO
·        Optimal Location of Transport Terminals in Metro Manila by Dr. Krister ROQUEL
·        Passenger Appraisal of Transport Related Attributes by Dr. Nicanor ROXAS Jr.
·        Transport Desirability Application in Metro Manila by Dr. Neil LOPEZ & Dr. Jose Bienvenido BIONA

 The studies and researches presented during the seminar gave the participants a better perspective on the different ways of addressing the traffic problems of Metro Manila. There is hope in the transportation industry of the country with professionals and experts in the forefront of providing solutions to this problem.

The seminar was hosted by Dr. Marlon Era of the Behavioral Science Department and at the same time was also the session chair during the presentations.

Prepared by Ms. Selina Nicole O. Catedral, Research Assistant, TRE Division