On 27 July, JSPS Alumni Association of the Philippines (JAAP) convened its 3rd scientific symposium under the title “Disaster Resilience through Science and Technology” at SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, Philippines.

The symposium was held as a part of National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). In addition to hosting the JAAP symposium, JSPS and JAAP introduced the activities and distributed brochures in the NSTW exhibition.

The symposium started off with a welcoming address by Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, president of JAAP, followed by messages from Mr. Kazunori Higuchi, head of Overseas Fellows Division of JSPS headquarters, Mr. Tatsuo Kitagawa, counsellor of the Embassy of Japan in Philippines and Dr. Hon. Amelia Guevara, undersecretary for research and development of DOST.

Dr. Montoya

Mr. Higuchi

Mr. Kitagawa

Dr. Guevara

The event was followed by the awarding of RONPAKU medals for Filipino alumni who successfully finished the RONPAKU program. From now on, the awarding ceremony of RONPAKU medals will be held in conjunction with JAAP symposium.

The first keynote lecture was delivered by Prof. Akihiro Kijima, Laboratory of Integrative Aquatic Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tohoku University, under the title “The TEAMS (Tohoku Ecosystem-Associated Marine Science) Project: Restoring the Rich Ocean Through Science.” Prof. Kijima talked about his decade-long project to monitor and aid the restoration of marine ecosystems and marine products, which were immensely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake. During Q&A session, many questions were raised about the impact of radiation or Tsunami on marine ecosystems in the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Prof. Kijima

The following keynote lecture was given by Prof. Masashi Takahashi, Center for Disaster Medicine and Education, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, under the title “New Information Technology for Disaster Medicine Using Geographic Information System in Japan.” Not only developing “Air Tag system,” information management system in the disaster medical care, but also Prof. Takahashi himself has been involved in disaster medical care as a member of Niigata University Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). His talk based on his experience as a member of DMAT in several earthquakes moved audience and he received a standing ovation at the end of his lecture.

Prof. Takahashi