DREAM begins 2014 with Flood Modelling and Mapping Training

DREAM kick-started its roll-out of 2014 trainings with an intensive 5-day ‘Flood Modeling and Mapping Training’ held on February 17-21, 2014 in the JICA Laboratory in the National Engineering Center, which was attended by a mix of SUCs, LGUs, and NGAs.

The 5-day intensive training focused on the use of flood modelling software such as HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, and LISFLOOD. HEC-HMS focused on watershed flood modelling, enabling the participants to run basic HEC-HMS models using sample data, while HEC-RAS utilized actual LiDAR data for floodplain modelling. Both these software are currently used by the DREAM Program in producing flood hazard maps. LISFLOOD is also a floodplain modelling tool, which, although minimally utilized by the DREAM Program, is very useful in rainfall-runoff simulations for analysis.

Participants sponsored by the Climate Change Commission (CCC), through Project Climate Twin Phoenix (PCTP) and Project ReBuild, comprised almost half of the participants. PCTP participants were Mr. Roy Badilla, Ms. Adelaida Duran, Mr. Maximo Peralta, Mr. Jayson Bausa, Ms. Rhonalyn Vergara, Ms. Leonida Santos, and Mr. Richard Orendain all from PAGASA, Mr. Peter Suson and Prof. Ma. Teresa Ignacio from Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, and Dr. Nilo Oponda from University of the Philippines, Mindanao. Meanwhile, the participants of Project ReBuild were Dr. Samuel Simon from Isabela State University, Engr. Junel Guzman and Engr. Oliver Doctolero both from Cagayan State University, and Mr. Alan Dino Moscoso and Mr. Wilfredo Palate, Jr. from University of the Philippines Visayas - Iloilo.
The rest of the participants sponsored by DREAM were: Ms. Charisse Presto, Mr. Elmo Atillano, and Mr. Dindo Macabante from DPWH; Mr. Joselito Cervantes, Mr. Demeregie Salazar, and Mr. Harold Estrada from the Pangasinan Provincial Office; Mr. Arnaldo Tayag and Mr. Mark Aaron Lumba from the Tarlac Provincial Office; Dr. Jonnifer Sinogaya, Prof. Judith Silapan, and Mr. Chito Patiño from University of the Philippines Visayas – Cebu; Engr. Lorie Cris Asube and Prof. Meriam Santillan both from CARAGA State University; and Asst. Prof Efraim Roxas and Asst. Prof. Joan Pauline Talubo from the University of the Philippines, Los Baños Campus.

Illustrious speakers also facilitated the lectures, namely Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, the DREAM Program Leader, DREAM Chief Science Research Specialist Engr. John Louie Fabila, and College of Engineering Faculty Professor Czar Jakiri Sarmiento and Professor Ma. Rosario Ang. Delivering their lectures as well were DREAM’s Consultants Dr. Matt Horritt from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, specializing in LISFLOOD modelling, and Mr. Al Duncan, a GIS specialist-expert who discussed visualization techniques in ArcScene, among others.

The barrage of computer excercises, simulations, and flood modelling was followed by a panel workshop and an exclusive tour of the DREAM office, to showcase the operations and work processes of the DREAM program from Data Acquisition and Data Validation to Data Processing and finally to Flood Modelling, to the participants.