Saturday, March 15, 2025

Image credit: River Basins for Sustainable Development

With the strong, half-decade-long partnership of Isabela State University (ISU), Philippines, and Kyoto University (KU), Japan, ISU’s banner as a leading research university in the ASEAN region will be realized as it is envisioned to be an ASEAN satellite hub of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) of Kyoto University, along with prestigious universities in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia. This projection is coupled with the University’s target to establish a national water resources research and development center for water resources sustainability and was highlighted during the Japan-Philippines NEXUS Program on Water Security Inception Workshop and Ministerial Meeting held in Kyoto, Japan, on March 13, 2025.
 
Primarily, Prof. Aquino drew the participants’ attention and encouraged their support for House Bill 10023, which seeks to establish a National Water Resources Research and Development Center (NWRRDC) at ISU. He underscored, “ISU will serve as a national and regional hub for water resources management, promoting cross-border cooperation and knowledge-sharing to address common water-related challenges in the Philippines and the ASEAN region.”

Image and content credit: River Basins for Sustainable Development

This academic and research initiative originated from the SMART Water Infrastructure and Management (SWIM) Program, implemented by Dr. Orlando F. Balderama, SWIM Program Leader and Vice President for Research and Development, under the Niche Centers for R&D (NICER) Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for the people of Cagayan Valley. As a flagship research and development initiative, it bolsters ISU’s reputation as a pioneer of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the Cagayan River Basin by introducing innovative water management strategies and institutionalizing a university-based water research center to advance R&D, education, capacity-building programs in water resources and river basin management, and technical extension services.
 
In the same manner, Prof. Kantoush also proposed the establishment of the KU-DPRI ASEAN Satellite Hub Office at ISU to emphasize that the University has long been active in generating scientific knowledge on water management and has already established a strong partnership in conducting river basin management R&D, technology transfer, capacity building, and policy development at both local and river basin levels. This R&D initiative aims to foster bilateral and multilateral partnerships between Kyoto University and institutions in the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, and other ASEAN countries. It will also serve as a hub for interdisciplinary research, knowledge-sharing, and policy development on disaster prevention, response, and recovery.

Image and content credit: River Basins for Sustainable Development

To further accentuate the expanded network of institutional leaders in Japan and the Philippines and concretize the partnership through capacity-building and knowledge-sharing activities, Prof. Isagani P. Angeles, University Director for Public Relations, External Affairs, and International Linkages, presented the tentative plans for the IO-CCA-DRRM Conference in Vietnam and the 2nd International Symposium on Integrated Flood and Sediment Management in River Basin for Sustainable Development (FSMART 2025) in the Philippines. With these wide-ranging linkages and more partnership initiatives of the Philippines and Japan, a highly skilled national and international workforce that is capable of implementing sustainable water management practices is envisioned to become the leading research and education hub for disaster risk management and resilience in the ASEAN region, which significantly contributes to global disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation efforts.

Image and content credit: River Basins for Sustainable Development