With
the success of the implementation of AdZU Phil LiDAR 1 Program in Zamboanga
Peninsula and in Mindanao, Ateneo de Zamboanga University is officially geared
towards continuing the mission of flood resiliency in Mindanao thru the
implementation of Geo-informatics for a Systematic Assessment of Flood Effects
and Risks in Mindanao, or the Geo-SAFER Mindanao Program.
With
four other Higher Education Institutions which implemented the Phil LiDAR 1
program namely Caraga State University, Central Mindanao University, Mindanao
State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, and University of the
Philippines-Mindanao, the Ateneo through the Geo-SAFER program will continue
the mission of Phil LiDAR 1–to generate detailed flood hazard maps of 91 river
basins in the Island. The progran is funded by the Department of Science and
Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology
Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).
The
program was officially launched last August 8, 2017, in LMX Convention, Butuan
City with DOST Secretary Fortunato T Dela Peña, giving a speech on the importance
of delivering and utilizing the products of researches like Geo-SAFER Mindanao.
In attendance also were personnel of Geo-SAFER Mindanao from the 5 implementing
Higher Education Institutions with their respective Local Government Unit partners.
Following the program launching was a two-day Workflow Harmonization Workshop,
where the different implementing HEIs shared and created the general workflow
for the components of the Program.
Prior
to its nationwide launching, AdZU Geo-SAFER Mindanao: ZAMBASULTA was launched
locally in simple ceremonies last July 27, 2017. Having the same objectives
with its other HEI counterparts, AdZU Geo-SAFER ZAMBASULTA aims to generate
detailed flood hazard maps of the twenty-four river basins in Zamboanga
Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. Moreover, the project aims to generate
Siltation Maps of three urban river systems and Resource Maps for the Provinces
of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.
The
day of the Project Launching was packed with three different activities. In the
morning, a pre-implementation meeting was held and attended by the different
Administrators of AdZU and representatives from PCIEERD headed by Edna
Nacianceno, Chief Science Research Specialist of Emerging Technology
Development Division. In the meeting, the implementing agency and the funding
agency discussed several issues and guidelines. The meeting was followed by the
blessing of the Geo-SAFER ZAMBASULTA Office, officiated by Fr Richard Ella, SJ
Vice President for Administration.
In
the afternoon, guests from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-IX,
Office of Civil Defense-IX, Zamboanga City Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Office, Zamboanga City Planning Office, and the Department of
Science and Technology-IX gathered at the Carlos Dominguez Conference Hall for
the project overview presentation. The presence of the partners from the
government units is seen as one of the steps in marrying research and policy.
The struggle towards resiliency is a journey of both the researchers from AdZU
Geo-SAFER ZAMBASULTA and the policy makers. True to its motto: “One Resilient
ZAMBASULTA”, the project launching served as the first step towards the journey
of achieving resiliency in ZAMBASULTA, and in Mindanao.
