PHIVOLCS conducted an online training entitled “Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into the Local Development Planning Process, Contingency Planning, and Emergency Preparedness through the Use of REDAS Software for Salug Valley Local Government Units: Module 3 (REDAS Exposure Database Development). The training was held from September 28 – October 1, 2021 in cooperation with Center for Disaster Preparedness, Foundation (CDP). The participants were trained on developing the exposure database of their respective municipalities with the use of the REDAS Exposure Data Mapper (EDM) using GeoMapperPH.
There was a total of 34 participants corresponding to the same number of GeoMapperPH credentials were issued. Participants were provincial and municipal officers from the Salug Valley LGUs such as the Zamboanga del Sur municipalities of Aurora, Dumingag, Mahayag, Midsalip, Molave, Ramon Magsaysay and Sominot, the Zamboanga del Norte municipality of Sergio Osmena, and the Misamis Occidental municipalities of Bonifacio and Don Victoriano. There were also participants from the partner NGO, Center for Disaster Preparedness, Foundation (CDP), from Calumpit, Bulacan and PHIVOLCS.
Figure 1. Speakers, facilitators and course advisers for the REDAS Module 3 Online Training for Salug Valley Local Government Units
On September 28, the pre-training orientation was conducted to guide the participants in signing-in to GeoMapperPH web browser and mobile application. The training house rules and guidelines were also discussed. For the training proper starting on September 29, Engr. Rhommel Grutas gave the lectures on the Evolution of the Filipino Home, Colonial churches, and Building Materials and UPD-ICE Building Typology. Meanwhile, Engr. Robinson Jorgio discussed the EDM Attributes in the GeoMapperPH. In these lectures, the participants learned about the different building types prepared by the UP Diliman- Institute of Civil Engineering, as well as the building attributes that must be identified when assessing a particular structure. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the participants were also taught the use of Street View which serves as an alternative to foot survey when gathering data. There were also lectures on the Data Preparation for GeoMapperPH, How to Use GeoMapperPH Web and Mobile Application, and Introduction to HazardHunterPH. Other topics that were covered in the training were: Introduction to Global Positioning System, Introduction to the LGU’s Exposure Database, Experiences in Developing Exposure Database and the Development of Exposure Database for Cebu City conducted by PHIVOLCS under the SWERVE Project.
For the building survey exercise, each participant digitized and surveyed at least four structures in their assigned municipality. A total of 421 buildings was digitized from 13 municipalities of Salug Valley. A total of 132 buildings was completely surveyed. These outputs were reviewed and discussed in the Data Management lecture. In this lecture, the process of counterchecking and polishing surveyed data was presented.
The training session were successfully conducted with the participants engaged all throughout despite the virtual setup due to the ongoing pandemic. Based on the evaluation form responses, the participants mentioned that the training was very informative and useful to their municipalities. For the overall assessment of the training, all of the participants gave a rating from “very satisfactory” to “outstanding”.
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, GeoRiskPH Project Leader Mabelline T. Cahulogan, and REDAS Course Advisers Dr. Bartolome C. Bautista, Ishmael C. Narag, and Engr. Angelito G. Lanuza. The speakers and facilitators were Engr. Rhommel Grutas, Engr. Robinson Jorgio, Kim Kenneth Alinsod (SOEPD), Ian P. Javier, John Deladia, Jordana Marie L. Argamosa, Engr. Noel C. Rosario Jr. (REDAS Team), Conrado Alfonso M. Favis, Ynna Patricia M. Aquino, Maeryck Justinne N. Bernardo, Richard Sulit, Andrew Ragadio (GeoRiskPH Team). Maria Fellizar-Cagay, Alfred Mark Rosete from CDP and Rocelo Dr Navarro from MLGU Molave, served as the guest facilitators.
