The University of the Philippines (UP) Resilience Institute (UP RI) – Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center and the office heads of the Municipal Planning and Development Office (MPDO) and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) of the Municipality of Carigara in Leyte, Philippines joined the output presentation of the Advancing Local Flood Decision-Making for Disaster Risk Reduction Project, a flood risk research project of Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN). The event was held in the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) in Banda Aceh, Indonesia on April 18, 2024, and was organized by Syiah Kuala University, locally known as the Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK).
In 2021, APN started the project which involved two project areas, the Municipality of Carigara (Leyte, Philippines) and the Regency of Singkil (Aceh, Indonesia). Project Leader Dr. Aaron Opdyke of the University of Sydney laid the foundations for the in-depth studies of the main catchment basins and geared towards providing updates on the project areas’ current disaster risk management efforts. This study also offers more detailed risk assessments bearing in mind the expected shifts in rainfall patterns due to climate change. Since then, numerous data-gathering activities have been conducted and updates were done with the inclusion of the new and more detailed elevation data and imagery for the project areas. Different data-gathering methods and processes were used including the use of drones, interviews, and workshops, as well as flood model simulations and serious game development.
Ms. Patricia Anne Delmendo from the Flood Modelling Component (FMC) and Ms. April Dawn Tegelan of the Planning Team represented UP RI-UP NOAH Center while the Municipality of Carigara, Leyte was represented by EnP. Daryl Daniel Bodo of the MPDO, and Mr. Alejo Urmeneta with Mr. Ryan Hidlago of the MDRRMO. The event was facilitated by Prof. Dr. Ir. Ella Meilianda, ST, MT of USK, and the Organizing Committee of the project. She welcomed the participants, provided the program schedule during the opening session, and led the discussion after each presentation later in the program.
Prof. Dr. Ir. Alfiansyah Yulianur BC, M.Eng from the Dean of Engineering Faculty of USK gave his opening remarks thanking the participants and the project heads from the different partner universities as to how far the research and the data gathered have helped the two areas in the duration of the project. Razzan Zahran Yafie, one of the USK Civil Engineering students, led the prayer for the success of the event.
Presentations were given by the representatives from the project areas and partner universities based on the output of the project and were followed by a short Q&A after each presentation. EnP. Bodo and Ms. Delmendo presented the study for the Municipality of Carigara, Leyte’s community resilience, and its aim to produce localized housing fragility and vulnerability functions for the province. The methods utilized to achieve the project goals were further explained which include hydrological modeling, vulnerability assessments, focus group discussions, utilization of key informant interviews, and serious games.
Mr. Era Isdhiartanto of the local government of Singkil Regency, Aceh Province gave some insights about the Land Use Management situation at the upstream area of Wampu Sei Ular watershed in his presentation. Mr. Dedy Alfian, ST, M.Sc, PhD Cand. of the USK-TDMRC showcased the flood risk mitigation plans and research methodologies applied, and how they affected the community resilience of Singkil Regency, especially the Singkil Watershed stakeholders.
The event concluded with the local participants playing the Serious Game. Mr. Dedy Alfian briefly introduced the Serious Game to the participants and advised that all the labels were in Indonesian language. Ms. Veriyanti, ST, MT also gave out the instructions and final preparations, then facilitated the game.
