Article Prepared By: Patrick Ryan Bello and David Josh Concepcion
On August 28, 2025, representatives of the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI), Director for Institution Building (IB) Dr. Carlos Primero Gundran and UPRI staff Hazel Victoriano, Patrick Ryan Bello and David Josh Concepcion held a meeting with key UP Tacloban College (UPTC) officials Dean Dr. Patricia Arinto and ADAA Prof. John Paul Yusiong.
UPRI representatives opened discussions by revisiting the importance of establishing a UPRI Resilience Hub in UP Tacloban. They discussed the documents to be reviewed by the BOR and the step-by-step process at the UP System offices. They reiterated that UPRI-IB will provide technical assistance to UPTC, and anticipate other avenues to support UPTC’s efforts.
UP Tacloban highlighted their intention to involve all departments in the establishment and operations of the proposed multidisciplinary Center for Disaster Resilience and Participatory Geoinformatics towards “Mapping Resilience Together”. The hub will utilize critical disaster science and participatory geoinformatics integrating geospatial technologies and social research to advance resilience within and beyond Eastern Visayas.
Dean Arinto conveyed that the existing Regional Environmental Informations Systems Laboratory under their Departments of Natural Sciences and of Mathematics will be the precursor of the hub. It provides services and conducts research and training on geographic information systems, mapping, spatial data visualization, mapping and geo-referencing services.
Dean Arinto asked UPRI representatives if there are any overlaps, with the staff responding that the IB division has yet to review the proposals and that similarities or overlaps will be identified by the OVPAA when they conduct their technical review.
Key ways forward identified by both parties include revisiting the scope of the proposed hub, designating focal staff for coordination between both offices, and ensuring that the proposal and its attachments are forwarded for OVPAA review and ready for BOR presentation before December 2025.
