The 2025 Internship Program of the University of the Philippines (UP) Resilience Institute (UP RI)–Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (UP NOAH) Center marked the beginning of many firsts for the Flood Modeling Component (FMC) as they welcomed the first batch of interns when the UP RI Midyear Internship Program officially opened on May 26, 2025. This is the first year that the component will be hosting two batches of interns.
It is also the first time for FMC to host four (4) students with various degree programs coming from four different colleges and universities. Oddly enough, this diverse set of students had different start dates, too. Owing to the flexibility options provided by the Education Division, the committee heading the internship program, the institute was able to accommodate more internship applicants despite their variations in schedule. With the first four weeks of internship already completed, the Batch 1 of interns shared some insights about their overall internship experience with the component and their thoughts on how their key learnings can be of use in their respective fields and in real life work environments after they graduate from college.
Ariel Dome, a 4th year Geography major from UP Diliman, more commonly known to his friends as ‘Aying’ is a very talented mapping enthusiast (or expert) and an aspiring GIS specialist. He mentioned that learning how to simulate flood scenarios using modeling tools such as FLO-2D was one of the most memorable experiences for him. He expressed his excitement in doing the activity as this was his first time to do a flood simulation, and the model he created was for his hometown. He also realized the importance of structured data interpretation in humanitarian contexts when they were given a task to analyze interview responses. For him, it was a shift from purely spatial work to engaging with narratives, which has given him new learning opportunities and deepened his appreciation for the people behind the data. He realized how important quantitative and qualitative approaches are to building a complete understanding of risk and vulnerability. He is confident that he will be leaving the internship program with sharper technical skills, a stronger appreciation for interdisciplinary work, and a renewed sense of purpose to grow in a space that values innovation and impact similar to UP RI.
Ralph EJ Jabez, a 3rd Year Human Ecology major from UP Los Baños, has always mentioned that their batch was giving ‘northie-southie’ (one intern is from Cagayan and another from Laguna) and an ‘east-west’ (one from Quezon City and another one from Manila) tandem vibes. He was very grateful for the way the institute has been fostering an interdisciplinary approach, allowing them to gain knowledge and skills while immersing them in various working cultures in an academic institution. He highlighted the lectures and activities given by the FMC researchers that expanded his knowledge and technical skills about different topics such as flood hazards, flood modelling parameters, creating building footprints, flood simulations and analysis, and doing map layout design. EJ has very little knowledge and experience in terms of mapping but was able to produce a nice flood hazard map for his hometown. This newly obtained experience in mapping will provide him a different approach when doing his research in his degree program in the field of social sciences. He’s thankful for this academic journey and the privilege to work with his fellow interns and all the team members who are long-time players in the field yet treated him with kindness and humility.
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Larissa Angela Carbos, a 4th Year Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering student from the Cagayan State University (CSU) – Carig Campus, her internship experience with FMC has been truly immersive in the field of research. With a bit of experience with mapping, her newly acquired training in flood modeling and map layout had given her the opportunity to continue her exploratory research in hydrology and integrate it with agricultural and biosystems engineering concepts. She now has a much better understanding on the behavior of water on the surface especially since they were tasked to conduct research on impervious surface coefficients and how crucial they are in flood modelling. She took the opportunity to exchange meaningful ideas with her co-interns to improve their mapping skills and learn various applications in different fields such as urban planning, human settlements, and DRR-CCAM. She brings with her all her new learnings from the institute, where she first hand witnessed the importance of data accuracy, GIS applications, and the hope for a more resilient future for the Philippines.
Bianca Amhor Berdin, a 4th Year Applied Physics major from Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST) – Manila Campus, has probably the least knowledge and experience in terms of using GIS and mapping in their batch but that did not stop her from acquiring the most learnings on flood modeling and mapping. From the basics of flooding to catchment delineation up to the creation of the flood hazard map, she learned not just the technical aspects but also how our different processes could come together to create one useful output. She highlighted that the constant support she received from her co-interns and FMC researchers made it easier for her to adjust and grow into the role, even when she was starting from zero. This internship gave her more than just technical knowledge but also the chance to step outside her comfort zone, become more confident and excited to keep learning in the field of science for resilience.
There were indeed a lot of firsts, but one thing’s for sure. FMC will always support the UP RI’s Internship Program to provide opportunities for any student who would like to learn more about hazards and what they can do as part of the academe for a more resilient Philippines.
(This short article is co-written by Ariel Dome, EJ Jabez, Bianca Berdin, and Issa Carbos)