PHIVOLCS conducted an online training entitled “Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into the Local Development Planning Process, Emergency Preparedness, and Contingency Planning through the Use of the REDAS Software for Iligan City – Module 2 (Developing Relational Database in REDAS)" last January 26-29, 2021.
Following the REDAS Module 1 (Basic REDAS and Seismic Hazard Assessment) which was held October 26-29, 2020, the REDAS Module 2 Training was focused on the use of SQLite as relational and spatial database system in REDAS. The training was headed by DOST Undersecretary and PHIVOLCS officer-in-charge Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr., REDAS Program coordinator and Associate Scientist Dr. Maria Leonila P. Bautista, and REDAS Course advisers Dr. Bartolome C. Bautista, Ishmael C. Narag, and Engr. Angelito G. Lanuza. The speakers and facilitators included Ian P. Javier, John Deladia, Jordana Marie L. Argamosa, Engr. Nikka Marie B. Sales, Engr. Noel C. Rosario, Jr., Engr. Maria Teresa G. Llera, and James Christian D. Gurat. Senior Weather Specialist Sharon Juliet M. Arruejo and Weather Specialist I Bernard R. Punzalan II of the DOST-PAGASA were also the guest speakers for this training to give a lecture about the Hydrometeorological Hazards and an introduction to the latest addition to the REDAS modules, the Satellite Rainfall Monitoring (SRM), respectively.
The photo below shows the list of speakers, facilitators, and course advisers for the training.
Figure 1. Speakers, Facilitators and Course Advisers for the REDAS Module 2 Online Training for Iligan City
There was a total of 19 participants: 15 from the Iligan City Government - City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (4), City Planning and Development Office (3), City Engineering’s Office (2), City Assessor’s Office (2), City Environment and Management Office (2), City Agriculture’s office (1), and City Waterworks System (1); 1 from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology; guest participants from Majayjay, Laguna Municipal DRRMO (1) and Mauban, Quezon Municipal DRRMO (1); and 1 participant form the Seismological Observation and Earthquake Prediction Division (SOEPD) of DOST-PHIVOLCS. Participants were provided with REDAS SRM version 1.0.2, with a total of 20 license keys issued.
Figure 2. Participants and Speakers to the REDAS Module 2 Online Training for Iligan City
A one-day pre-training orientation on January 26 was conducted before the training proper to prepare the participants on the training proper and verification if the REDAS, SQLite and Quantum GIS software are still working properly. The training house rules and guidelines were also discussed as well as the lecture on the Hydrometeorological Hazards and SRM. The training proper covered topics on the Familiarization on SQLite Module, Developing SQLite Database, Putting Spatial Component to SQLite, Plotting Data in REDAS from SQLite Tables (Basemaps and Admin Boundaries), Plotting Multi-Hazard Maps, and Advanced SQLite Scripting.
The participants were required to submit their outputs during the exercise on Digitizing Land Use in QGIS focused on selected Iligan City barangays. Outputs were presented and discussed during the last day of the training. Figure 3 shows a sample hands-on exercise digitized in QGIS and plotted in REDAS by a training participant showing different land uses in Barangay Tominobo Proper of Iligan City.
Figure 3. Sample Hands on Exercise digitized in Quantum GIS and plotted in REDAS
The participants found the training remarkably interesting despite how challenging it is especially for most of them who were first time users of a GIS application and SQL scripting. They have grasped the importance of the module in creating and managing their own databases and integrating it to REDAS to assess locations in their City which may be exposed to hazards.
