ENS 299, or the Graduate Seminar Class held a seminar entitled “Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) and the Changing Environment” at the Rola Multipurpose Room, College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR), UPLB Last 28 October 2015. The seminar is a culminating activity of the class handled by Dr. Mark Dondi M. Arboleda, Assistant Professor at the School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

The lecture entitled “Impact of Climate Change in the Philippines” by Dr. Veronica P. Migo, the Head of the Central Analytic Services Laboratory in the National Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH), UPLB, discussed about Climate Change Mitigation Programs in the Philippines. Dr. Migo is a licensed chemist, and academician and researcher, and a graduate faculty of Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Microbiology, Soil Science, Microbiology and Environmental Science and Management.

“The global scenario is even the greenhouse gases would be stabilized at existing levels, anthropogenic warming and sea level rise will continue for centuries to come… the world temperatures may rise between 1.1°C and 6.4°C during the 21st century,” Dr. Migo said. She then discussed the impacts of climate change in the Philippines for agriculture, livestock, food security, seacoasts and marine, water availability and flooding and human health. She concluded, “For the way forward, there are three pillars: (1) strengthening the planning, execution and financing framework; (2) enhancing leadership & accountability; and (3) building capacity and managing change.”

Mr. Elvis S. Cruz, who hailed from Rizal, and currently a Planning Officer 3 and the Assistant Regional Director for Administration and Finance of the Office of Civil Defense – Region IV-A discussed about the historical perspective on disaster management, the current legal basis of RA 10121, the enhanced National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRM) Framework, and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). In his presentation entitled “RA 10121: The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System (PDRRMS)” he mentioned the importance of engaging the academe in DRRM. “The possible areas of collaboration are knowledge management and education, awareness and advocacy campaign, preparing for effectiveness response, risk identification and risk reduction,” Mr. cruz said.

The last speaker was Dr. Teofredo T. Esguerra, a mountaineer and medical doctor who serves in rescue missions in local and international communities, talked about “Emergency and Disaster Configuration (EDC).” Dr. Esguerra is the subject matter expert for DZMM and the television show in ABS-CBN “Red Alert.” He is currently the Disaster Crisis Lead of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC).

He discussed about the things that are needed to be put into mind regarding disasters, which he synopsized into P’s: Psyche, Paradigm Change, Proactive Configuration, Positive Attitude, Profile your community, Patterns, PLAN, Personalize the Capacity, Pack Up, Pile Up, Prioritize, Post It, Publish It, Practice, Polish the Drill, Participate, Partnership, Pedal Out, Pull Out, Palpate the Earth, Plant Trees, Pray and Perspective. “Chances will always favor the prepared mind,” he said.
The event was attended by 38 UPLB students, faculty and staff.