2 Professors Read Papers on Disasters at Kyoto University

2 Professors Read Papers on Disasters at Kyoto University

Two professors from Silliman University were among 20 researchers from four countries that presented results of their respective studies related to disasters, at an international workshop organized July 21 to 23 by the Center for Integrated Area Studies of Kyoto University in Kyoto, Japan.

University Graduate Programs Dean Dr. Enrique G. Oracion and Assoc. Prof. Roy Olsen D. de Leon of the Biology Department shared outcomes of their individual researches and engaged their counterparts from Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia in the workshop themed “Toward Building Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia”.

Dr. Oracion read his paper on “The Anthropological in Multidisciplinary Research Program for Ensuring Ecosystem Quality and Responding to Disasters”, while Assoc. de Leon on “Practical Data for Barangay-Oriented Resources and Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: Binalbagan River System Case”. The paper of Assoc. de Leon was co-authored by Silliman President Dr. Ben S. Malayang III.

(Dr. Enrique G. Oracion, rightmost in the first row, and Assoc. Prof. Roy Olsen D. de Leon, leftmost in the second row, with other participants in the international workshop themed “Toward Building Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia” at Kyoto University, Japan.) 

Their participation was part of the project, “A Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia with Networking Researchers, Practitioners and Information,” administered by Kyoto University. The project is supported by the Care-to-Care program of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Dr. Oracion is a member of the core group composed of researchers from identified partner institutions of Kyoto University. There are two institutions from the Philippines; Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) is the other one, with its professor, Dr. Filomeno Aguilar, sitting as coordinator. The two other institutions are Syiah Kuala University in Indonesia and the Institute of Islamic Understanding in Malaysia.

This is not the first time for Silliman researchers to be engaged in the project. In December last year, Dr. Oracion was at a related workshop at Kyoto with Biology Department Chairperson Dr. Robert S. Guinoo. In March 2016, another faculty, Economics Department Chairperson Asst. Wilma M. Tejero attended the one hosted by ADMU. A third one is set in November this year in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.