On June 09, 2023, the UP Resilience Institute (UP RI) and the City of Calamba Capacity Building and Crafting of Mandated Local Plans Meeting with the office of Hon. Mayor Roseller H. Rizal of the City of Calamba. The meeting preceded the initial exploratory talks and courtesy call last March 02, 2023 with the municipality. The UP RI Institution Building (IB) headed by Director Prof. Genaro A Cuaresma, Supervising Science Research Specialist Rojo Guerrero T. Padilla, Junior Office Assistant Mr. Ian Gonzalez, together with Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Supervising Science Research Specialist Engr. John Kenneth Suarez and Engr. Steffanie Chua the initiatives of UP RI specifically in flood control and planning. The meeting was attended by the City Administrator Mr. Johnny R. Pamuspusan, the Department Head of the City Planning and Development Officer Mr. Dennis R. Lanzanas, the Department Head of the CIty Engineering Engr. Irwin M. Pacada, and City Environmental and Natural Resources Office Supervising Officer Mr. Ronn Martinne C. Reyes.
During the meeting with the City of Calamba, Engr. Steffanie Suarez discussed the undertakings of the Flood Modelling Component (FMC) of UP RI as well as how Drainage Master Plans (DMPs) are done. As flooding is a challenge in the City of Calamba it is important to ensure that the city updates its plans on how flooding can be addressed using probabilistic scenario models factoring in the effects of Climate Change. Several successful and ongoing projects pertaining to flood modeling of UP RI were also discussed in passing as well as the possibility for the LGU to tap experts who are UP RI Fellows upon finalization of the cooperation agreement.
The meeting was concluded by the City of Calamba, Laguna agreeing to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UP RI leading to a Drainage Master Plan (DMP) project execution. The City of Calamba also discussed the problem of water extraction in their areas and the possibility of a partnership that can further improve their understanding of the relationship of over-extraction and the possible hazards and risks that comes with it. The city encourages research and initiatives that could add to the pool of data on how aquifers in their area are used, the implications of such in their economy, as well as the scenarios that can happen when these water sources are depleted. This concern was welcomed by the UP RI and assured the City of Calamba that UP RI has experts from all its campuses spread-out in the Philippines and that they can be tapped when needed once a partnership between UP RI and the City of Calamba is reached.
By Rojo Padilla (June 27, 2023)
