Sorsogon State University – Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (SorSU DRRMO), headed by Prof. Saturnino C. Carranza (Director, SorSU DRRMO), together with Prof. Achilles G. Honasan (DRRM Coordinator, SorSU-Castilla Campus) and Prof. Ryan D. Remolacio (Administration and Training Officer, University-Based DRRMO), joined and partook at the 2𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘙𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 held at Amari Don Muang Airport Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand from May 29 – June 02, 2023.
With the theme: “𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘚𝘌𝘈𝘕 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯”, the five-day international conference formally commenced with welcome messages from Prof. Kazuo Yamamoto (President, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand), proceeded by H.E. Millicent Cruz Paredes (Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Thailand & Permanent Representative to United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific [UNESCAP]) and Dr. Ricmar P. Aquino (President, Isabela State University & IO-CCA-DRR, Philippines), respectively.
Dr. Orlando F. Balderama (Vice President for Research and Development, Extension and Training [RDET], Isabela State University) provided the conference overview and the introduction of the participants, while H.E. Bernard Faustino M. Dy (Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Swiss Confederation and Principality of Liechtenstein, Switzerland) delivered an inspirational message before the participants and attendees.
During the afternoon, eight (8) plenary sessions transpired with various topics relative to integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction management at the local-level planning. Meanwhile, the participants were given the privilege to choose different areas of specialization on the Day 2 of the event, which consisted of three simultaneous discussion sessions. Prof. Carranza joined the session on 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. Prof. Honasan attended the session on 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦-𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, whereas Prof. Remolacio partook in the session on 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦-𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥/𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. Moreover, researches conducted by the Filipino participants were also presented and evaluated.
In addition, on Day 4 of their international travel, the SorSU DRRM officials engaged in a benchmarking activity at Chulalongkorn University-Graduate School to gain more knowledge and meaningful insights about the University’s 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 (𝘔𝘚 𝘙𝘋𝘔) as well as the different programs of its Graduate School. Meanwhile, Sorsogon State University, the 𝘗𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘗𝘶𝘴𝘰, was introduced to the Chulalongkorn University-Graduate School officials by the Director of SorSU DRRMO through a video presentation as well as the DRRM Office and its various events and activities through a PowerPoint presentation. Moreover, Chulalongkorn University is also open to further collaborations and partnerships beneficial to both institutions. They were accommodated by Asst. Prof. Pol Sub. Lt. Dr. Pachanut Nunthaitaweekul (Deputy Director of the Risk and Disaster Management Program) and Dr. Puntita Tanwattana (Secretary of the Graduate School).
Furthermore, the SorSU DRRMO were also given an opportunity to join the visit of the Cagayan Valley Agricultural, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (CVAARD) Group at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, where they visited the Water Engineering Department of AIT. They also visited the other facilities of AIT, its e-learning activities, rooms for group studies, conference hall, a “brainstorming” room, and study areas, including a knowledge garden.
During a short discussion of SorSU DRRM officials with Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal (Vice President for Academic Affairs, AIT); Mr. Shawn P. Kelly (Executive Director, AIT – Office of International and Public Affairs); and Dr. Sumana Shrestha (Director, AIT – International Affairs), the AIT officials emphasized that they are open to collaborate with SorSU in different areas of concerns. AIT offers post-graduate studies in engineering, sciences, technology, agriculture, and even a doctorate in DRRM. Likewise, they are also interested in joining future research conferences by the Sorsogon State University. (SorSU PIO)