The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS) and the Bukidnon Association of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (BALDRRM) Officers, Inc. organized a two-day training workshop on GeoRiskPH Platforms and the 3D Philippines Information System on August 30-31, 2023, at Pearlmont Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City.
A total of 60 participants, including LDRRMOs, engineers, and technical staff, attended the workshop that aims to build their skills in using GeoMapperPH for exposure geodatabase development, the 3D Philippines Information System for subsurface information visualization, and various other GeoRiskPH platforms for more efficient hazard and risk assessments, streamlined data collection, sharing, and analysis, all in support of data-informed planning and decision-making.
They were welcomed by Mr. June Ray A. Valero, President of BALDRRM and CDDRMO of Valencia City, and Dr. Teresito C. Bacolcol, Director of DOST-PHIVOLCS. Both of them encouraged everyone to maximize this training and to utilize all the GeoRiskPH products presented. Mr. Valero emphasized the importance of the training, highlighting that all their outputs from such learning activity would help their respective communities better understand what needs to be done to reduce disaster risks. Director Bacolcol added that GeoRiskPH’s digital tools “hold a promise of enhancing ability to plan and recover effectively in the face of disasters” and that the participants play a crucial role in ensuring that the lives and livelihoods of their communities are safe from adverse effects of disasters.
Embracing the role of being Bukidnon's 'guardians of disaster resilience,' as dubbed by Dir. Bacolcol, participants actively engaged in all training activities. They gained proficiency in creating and editing geospatial data (e.g., building footprints, evacuation centers, roads) using GeoMapperPH. They also learned to input project and borehole details into the 3D Philippines Information System, enabling analysis and 3D visualization, which can assist in improving local government units' structure planning and regulatory functions. Additionally, they have also familiarized themselves with other GeoRiskPH tools, such as HazardHunterPH, GeoAnalyticsPH, and PlanSmart Ready to Rebuild, to enhance their disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
All these applications received praise from the participants, primarily for their user-friendly and helpful features, allowing users to identify hazard-exposed locations. As an expression of their support, they also requested further training and suggested updating the data in these platforms to better align with the needs of their LGUs.
Through this capacity-building event, LGU-members of BALDRRM were provided with accounts in GeoMapperPH and real-time database dashboards. These resources can be utilized for hazard mapping, LGU planning purposes, and to support Bukidnon in achieving its mission of establishing a highly effective disaster risk reduction management system for the province. In his closing remarks, Mr. Rodolfo A. Rebanco, Jr., current BALDRRM Vice President and LDRRMO III of Lantapan, Bukidnon, expressed gratitude to the facilitators from DOST-PHIVOLCS for their valuable assistance, thanked the participants for their active involvement, and encouraged them to share the knowledge they have gained from the two-day training. Finally, the Institute anticipates future collaborations with more LGUs, extending this technological innovation for safer, more disaster-resilient communities.
