Networking Report at CdeO

 Engineering Resource Center,  Xavier University, CdeO, Conference Room, August 30, 2016, 11:00 am- 12:15 noon

In attendance:

Prof. Dexter Lo - Director of the Xavier University Engineering Resource Center (XUERC)

Ms. Cristily G. Cailing - Faculty, member ERC

Mr. Jefferson Vallente Jr - Faculty, member ERC

Dr. Lessandro Garciano – CE Chairman

Dr. Renan Tanhueco – DR&RR Unit Leader

• 1.      The meeting started with Dr. Tanhueco giving a brief presentation of CESDR and the DR &RR unit and the purpose of the visit. He emphasized the interest to have research cooperation and collaboration works with XU-ERC for the Cagayan de Oro (CdeO) city area and that both units can benefit from the arrangement. XU-ERC is quite strong in community based projects and Prof. Lo is often asked to seat in various CdeO local, national agency, and regional development council meetings. Prof. Lo is also an incoming doctoral student in the Civil Engineering program in DLSU. He is an ERDT scholar of DOST.

•  2.      Directions and areas of collaboration and cooperation can be in the following:

a.       Support for the CESDR DR&RR SHS module development in terms of project documentations, photos; approach (ex. gamification);

b.      ERC needs to develop tools for hazard and risk assessment;

c.       Look into zoning ordinance implementation-floodway and fringe development, etc.;

d.      Assess linkages of local plans with sub-national and regional plans;

e.       Studies on flooding in interior areas of CdeO and the connectivity of local drainage to major drainage systems;

f.       First tier seismic vulnerability assessment of buildings in CdeO since the city has less information and awareness on earthquake hazards and risks;

g.      Fragility and risk assessment to electrical system;

h.      Studies on emergency management implementation and use of technology to improve monitoring;

i.        Continue a safe schools program in CdeO.

• 3.      Essentially, common research interests revolve around hazards and risk assessment and its integration into local development plans especially on infrastructure.

• 4.      Both research centers tentatively agreed to hold a follow up meeting by end of September 2016 and have a short list of projects to be proposed.

• 5.      Prof. Lo will join Dr. Tanhueco and Dr. Garciano in their meeting with the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) - Northern Mindanao.  

 

Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, 
Northern Mindanao Area (HLURB-NM), CdeO
 August 30, 2016, 14:00 am- 15:30 noon

In attendance:

Mr. Harvey Villegas - Technical and Field personnel of HLURB- NM

Prof. Dexter Lo - XU ERC Director

Dr. Lessandro Garciano – CE Chairman

Dr. Renan Tanhueco – DR&RR Unit Leader

• 1.      The meeting started with Dr. Tanhueco giving a brief presentation of CESDR and the DR&RR unit and the purpose of the visit. He asked Mr. Villegas about the status of comprehensive land use plan updating in Northern Mindanao area especially in the CARAGA region. He mentioned that most of the land use plans had already been prepared; however, most of these documents have yet to be approved by their respective local legislative councils.

• 2.      Dr. Garciano and Dr. Tanhueco shared information about the natural hazard and impact studies under the CE department (i.e. wind, flooding and earthquake). Mr. Villegas emphasized that in terms of seismic information, it is less understood and seismic hazard and risk reduction are poorly integrated into the zoning ordinance of cities. He also expressed his observations that, generally, there is difficulty in translating hazard information into policy statements.

• 3.      Those in attendance agreed that forums that address the challenges of integration of hazards and risks into plans be proposed as projects. Mr. Villegas also hinted that the Office of Civil Defense of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (OCD-NDRRMC) would be willing to sponsor forums and fund researches related to these challenges of integration.

• 4.      Mr. Villegas expressed support to the collaboration of the two centers and HLURB-NM. They will await the next steps to be taken in the follow up meeting scheduled at the end of September 2016.

National Economic Development Authority, Region X Northern Mindanao Area (NRO-X)

Cagayan De Oro, August 30, 2016, 16:00 am- 17:00 pm

In attendance:

Dir. Leon Dacanay – Regional Director (RD) of NEDA Regional Office X.

Dr. Lessandro Garciano – CE Chairman

Dr. Renan Tanhueco – DR&RR Unit Leader

•  1.      The meeting started with Dr. Tanhueco giving a brief introduction of CESDR and the DR&RR unit and the purpose of the visit. Dr. Tanhueco inquired  about the status of the “mainstreaming of DRR” into Regional Development Plans, noting that NRO –X has led the development of operational guides of mainstreaming DRR & CCA into regional plans and the Climate Risk Reduction Information System for Planning (CRISP) already implemented by NRO-X.

• 2.      RD Dacanay mentioned that the operational guide had been used by the NEDA Central Office for implementing mainstreaming into Regional Plans all over the country. He also mentioned that the CRISP is fully operational and that new maps are being added by different agencies, although there is much more to be desired in terms of frequency of updating from the different agencies.

• 3.      The NRO-X continuously updates its Regional plans whenever new data and/or new methodologies are available for hazards and risk reduction integration into Region X physical framework and development plans.

• 4.      RD Dacanay through NRO X regularly holds forums among technical experts and government officials with regards to solving issues & problems and challenges to Northern Mindanao in terms of risk reduction and adaptation, risk quantification, planning and implementation of development and physical framework, land use and zoning.

• 5.      RD Dacanay suggests that the NRO X and the centers hold a technical forum on disaster risk reduction integration challenges and how these can be addressed.

• 6.      Dr. Tanhueco also mentioned that land use efficiency and hazard impacts at the regional level be looked into as another set of information to assess regional development performance.

• 7.      RD Dacanay also mentioned that there were already flood hazard studies and strong efforts on mainstreaming of the hazards and risk reduction in CdeO Land Use and Zoning. Floodway delineation and flood hazard zoning are new features in the CdeO zoning ordinance. He mentioned that the Centers can assist Region X local government units (LGUs) in completing risk- sensitive plans for their municipalities.

• 8.      Dr. Garciano mentioned of earthquake information that can be useful to enhance hazards reduction policies and zoning at different levels (i.e. sub-national/regional and local). The collaboration with NRO-X can be a good learning experience in formulating development policy from science based research.

• 9.      Both parties agreed to push for a MOA between NRO-X and DLSU.

• 10.  RD Dacanay will wait for the CESDR sub center to send word on a follow – up meeting related to the discussions.

      Prepared by:  Dr. R.Tanhueco

     Reviewed by: Dr. Garciano