The Isabela State University (ISU) continues to fortify its partnership both in local and international grounds as it spearheaded a multipartite Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Management (CCA-DRRM) Forum with Japanese experts in the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University (DPRI-KU), local government officials and community stakeholders at ISU-Ilagan Campus, Isabela on November 7, 2022. Dr. Orlando F. Balderama, the prime mover leading the University’s internationalization and R&D efforts on integrated water resources management with Japanese stakeholders, accentuated that ISU is now going beyond theoretical studies and moving towards high-impact development research projects. Subsequently, ISU will imminently play a pivotal role upon the creation of the Department of Water Resources by the Philippine government to address issues on water supply and hazards.

The forum was participated by the Local Government Units of City of Ilagan and Cauayan, Campus Officials, faculty members, and students from ISU-Ilagan Campus, and project staff of ISU-Echague Campus and Cagayan State University. Moreover, Dr. Alfonso R. Simon, Executive Officer of ISU-Ilagan Campus, presented the objectives of the forum which highlighted the DPRI-KU Japan’s good practices and collaborative projects in Cagayan River Basin, updates on plans and programs of agencies as well as designs for institutional collaboration on research and development, capacity building, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing on climate change, drought, and flood risk management. Dr. Balderama also highlighted the essence of feedback from community stakeholders and local government as basis in offering science-based solutions to address recurring and climate-induced flood and drought phenomena.

Proceeding to the first phase of the program, Dr. Sameh Ahmed Kantoush, Associate Professor in DPRI-KU, discussed the introduction about ISU-KU collaborative projects in Cagayan River Basin (CRB) and emphasized the significance of flood mitigation and risk communication under successive typhoons. In the same vein, Dr. Khagendra Pralhad Bharambe, a Post-Doctoral Fellow at DPRI-KU, explicated the various impacts of climate change outlook in CRB on agriculture and communities. Moreover, Ms. Hikaru Goto, MS student at Kyoto University, also shared Japan’s good practices on flood risk management with emphasis on mapping techniques. Dr. Pol Mabborang Jr., on the other hand, presented a DOST-funded project titled “Integrated Assessment and Analysis of Hydraulic Assets for Sustainable and Resilient Flood Control Infrastructures”. He accentuated the project objectives on the inventory of flood-related initiatives by different agencies and development of science-driven decision support platform information and risk management with the corresponding expected outputs of SWIM Project 2 Team.

During the open forum, the participants and resource speakers deliberated on the implementation of the Comprehensive Land Use Development Plan, reforestation as a nature-based solution, use of SWAT and RRI modeling and construction of Sabo dams for watershed management, and shift in livelihood and agricultural or farming methods for sustainable development and as flood mitigation measures. They also discussed several measures in alleviating flood impacts such as community partnerships vis-à-vis watershed management, risk assessment, flood evacuation system, installation of turbidity meter, flood control structures, institutional arrangement, and construction of small dams upstream. Dr. Balderama then clinched the event with high hopes on the continuous partnership of ISU and KU with reference to R&D endeavor, transfer of technology, and knowledge sharing activities.

This science-academe-government-community collaboration is the first phase of the series of CCA-DRRM Forums in other municipalities of Isabela and an offshoot of the joint project between ISU and KU which stressed the essence of involvement of local communities in flood risk management. Indeed, from this initial spark of community partnership arises a flame induced by the stakeholders’ desire to fulfill their shared responsibilities for a more disaster resilient society.