The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries in terms of water security based on five identified key dimensions as indicators: household, economic, urban, environment and resilience to water-related disasters (Asian Development Bank, 2016). The government recognized that there is a need to have a national roadmap for water and formed a working group composed of various National Government Agencies (NEDA, NWRB, DPWH, DA, LWUA, DENR, DILG, CCC), Representatives from the Legislative Branch, Academe (University of the Philippines Los Baños) and Private Sectors. The working group’s main objective is to conduct a National Water Security Summit and draft a National Roadmap for Water.

The University of the Philippines Los Baños, as an academic and scientific institution, formed a committee composed of the Deans of different colleges and water experts (specialists) in response to the current need of addressing issues related to water security. The committee was tasked to (i) revisit past studies locally, and globally on water management in the country; (ii) identify main issues/problems and provide recommendations for each of the 7 water security sectors (Agriculture, Domestic, Economic, Environment, Governance, Resilience and Urban); (iii) provide implementable information (towards a roadmap) and prepare actionable plans; and (iv) identify a unifying body mandated to take charge of coordinating and monitoring implementation of the roadmap.

In response to the current water security challenges and as part of the recommendation of the project “Towards a Comprehensive Plan for Water Roadmap Preparations”, UPLB created its own interdisciplinary studies center for water. The UPLB Water Center was formally established by virtue of the UPLB Office of the Chancellor Administrative Order 247, series of 2017, which gives it a virtual mandate to pursue a more holistic inter- and transdisciplinary research, development, and extension (RDE) programs to ensure water security in the context of changing climate and globalization.

• HyDEPP SATREPS (Development of Hybrid Water-related Disaster Risk Assessment Technology for Sustainable Local Economic Development Policy)
• HyDEPP SATREPS (Development of Hybrid Water-related Disaster Risk Assessment Technology for Sustainable Local Economic Development Policy)
• Role of Women in the Implementation of WASH Initiatives in Liliw, Laguna, Philippines
• Review and Revision of Dam Operation Protocol in Angat Watershed, Bulacan, Philippines
• Understanding Complexities of Selected Sub-Watersheds around Laguna Lake
• The Impacts on Agriculture of Solar Radiation Management: The Case of Southeast Asia
• Development of Package of Technologies for Drip-Irrigated Aerobic Rice*
• Seven Lakes Assessment and Monitoring Program: Strategies Toward Sustainable Lake Ecosystems (7 LAMPS)*
• Impact Assessment of Floods and Droughts in Selected Agricultural Municipalities in Laguna*