PHIVOLCS conducted its first online training for the year 2021 entitled “Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into the Local Development Planning Process, Emergency Preparedness, and Contingency Planning through the Use of the REDAS Software – Module 2 (Developing Relational Database in REDAS)". This was for the province of Lanao del Norte and was held from January 12-15, 2021.
Following the REDAS Module 1 (Basic REDAS and Seismic Hazard Assessment) which was held November 9-12, 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 Kathleen L Papiona, Svetlana T. Catoera, Crystel Jade M. Legaspi, Ian P. Javier, John Deladia, Jordana Marie L. Argamosa, Engr. Nikka Marie B. Sales, Engr. Noel C. Rosario, Jr., and Engr. Maria Teresa G. Llera.
The photo below shows the list of speakers, facilitators, and course advisers for the training.
Photo 1. Speakers, Facilitators and Course Advisers for the REDAS Module 2 Online Training for Lanao del Norte
There was a total of 20 participants of which 12 are male and 8 are female: 9 representatives from Lanao del Norte provincial offices - Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (2), Planning and Development Office (2), Engineering’s Office (2), Assessor’s Office (1), Environment and Management Office (1),Provincial Agriculture’s office (1); 10 representatives from the municipalities of Sultan Naga Dimaporo (1), Sapad (1), Magsaysay (1), Lala (1), Kapatagan (1), Salvador (1), Tangval (1), Kolambugan (1), Tubod (1) and Bacolod (1). Lastly, 1 participant from Geology and Geophysics Research & Development Division (GGRDD) of DOST-PHIVOLCS also joined the training.
Photo 2. Participants and Speakers to the REDAS Module 2 Online Training for Lanao del Norte
A one-day pre-training orientation on January 12 was conducted to prepare the participants on the training proper and verification if the REDAS, SQLite and Quantum GIS software are still working properly. On this day, the training house rules and guidelines were also discussed as well as the lecture on the Newly-Mapped Active Faults in Mindanao. Then, the main 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 barangays of their assigned municipalities. Outputs were presented and discussed during the last day of the training. Figure 1 shows a sample hands-on exercise digitized in QGIS and plotted in REDAS by a training participant showing different land uses in the municipality of Salvador, Lanao del Norte.
Figure 1. 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 the problems involving the poor internet connection. Also, most of them were first time users of a GIS applications (QGIS) and SQL module applications. They are planning to use the tools and skills they have gained from this module in creating and managing their own databases and integrating hazards into the provincial development plans using REDAS software.
