All posts by William Santos

About William Santos

Senior Brodacast Presenter and Writer for Klipp Tv and has over 30 years of journalistic experience behind him. He specializes in Radio and Television journalism, audiovisual production, and management of tri-media organizations.

Private and Public Sector Thought Leaders Attend This Year’s Philippine Flood Virtual Summit

Climate change is real. This natural phenomenon has brought chaos and havoc to many nations and people. It is not only the destruction that sends chills down our spines, but the fearful prospects of human demise.

But there is one thing that leaders can do; to be prepared and act together towards a singular objective, and that is to minimize to the barest minimum the damages caused by floods.

Mykar Events Consultancy, an internationally renowned events group, has pooled together the great minds of Philippine technocrats to provide synergy for flood protection via a two-day webinar. Dubbed as the Philippine Flood Management Virtual Summit, the webinar invited professional speakers to provide technical impetus to webinar participants.

Named as Webinar Chairman is Dr. Andreas Klippe, a German Engineer and Philippine Resident who is also the President and CEO of Flood Control Asia RS, Corp.

Scheduled to deliver talks during the first day (November 11) were as follows:

  1. Sec.  Roger Mendoza – Secretary, Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Highlighted  government programs and plans to mitigate annual flooding in the country especially in Metro-Manila.
  1. Ms. Sheila Lobien – CEO, Lobien Realty Group presented a very comprehensive guide in purchasing properties.  She likewise provided a smart guide to property selection especially for industrial and production companies.
  1. Mr. Ramon Abiera-Director, Infrastructure and Construction Focus Group, Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines
  1. Mr. Eric Leong, Managing Director,  Million Corporation PTE – Provided a highly-technical output on flood forecasting and alarm systems in coordination with PAGASA.
  1. Mr. Felix Ayque– Founder, Komunidad Global PTE – Also provided a very comprehensive output on typhoon signaling and forecasting.
  1. Mr. Roy Badillo-Chief, Hydrometeorology Division DOST-PAGASA –  Summarized the most recent technologies and technical plans of the PAGASA focusing more on the radars that are the “eyes” of the country in weather prediction.

November 12, day 2 of the webinar was even more intense in discussions with the following personalities taking center stage and delivering highly-technical and comprehensive talks.

  1. Dr. Patricia Anne Jaranilla-Sanchez – Professor, University of the Philippines, Los Banos. Discussed the role of the academe in crafting policies and future plans for its participation in the flood mitigation programs of the government.
  1. Mr. Julius Umali – Geologist-  Mines and Sciences Bureau, Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources.  –  Presented the Geo-hazzard map of the Philippines showing the most vulnerable and dangerous areas in terms of flooding, landslides, and earthquakes.These areas are placed in high priority watch whenever calamities strike.
  1. Dr. Andreas Klippe – President and CEO, Flood Control Asia RS Corp. –  Presented a very detailed output on the use of demountable flood barriers and other flood control devices for homes, factories, government buildings, critical infrastructures, etc.  He demonstrated the individual usage of flood control systems in the different powerpoint slides, creating a very clear idea and picture of flood protection for everyone.
  1. Ms. Ilse Gayle – Vice President of Strategy, Advanced Environmental Monitoring. –  Ms. Gayle presented a highly detailed presentation on her company’s methods of environmental monitoring using advanced methodologies and equipment.  This is also in connection with their cooperation with the Dept.of Environment and Natural Resources that is targeted to bring-about an inter-agency collaboration in advanced environmental monitoring so as to be able to be of  proactive stance in the future. Usage of intelligent data to plan ahead and improve the action.
  1. Mr. Alois Bacher – Director of Sales,Pumps Southeast Asia –  Presented a highly detailed presentation about the function and efficiency of surface pumps. The electro-mechanical technology can meet huge requirements in flood dissipation.   These pumps can drain floodwaters at the soonest possible time. These will be very useful in critical infrastructures that need to drain floodwaters to prevent more damages in the future.
  1. Mr. Slavko Veliclov – Bently Systems. Global Sales Director. A technical presentation utilizing digital data for maps and water management that can be utilized not only in terms of flood protection but  also in the aspect of agriculture and maybe domestic water use.

Over two hundred participants came from various reputable government agencies of the country, Local Government Units, local and international investment and financial firms, architects, and engineering companies, and leading suppliers for flood management.

The event ended with a panel discussion. Participating as panelists were Arch.. Felino “Jun” Palafox from Palafox Associates; Mr. Ramon L. Albiera, the Director of ICFG; Mr. Greg Ariz III, Chief Project Monitoring and Evaluation Division, NEDA-CAR; Mr. Noel M. Ortigas, the Executive Vice President of EDCOP; and Mr. Vonne B. Villanueva, the CDRRMO Head of Navotas City.

The discussion highlighted the issues regarding the plans of the government concerning flood-related projects, including environmental and geographic issues of the country that highly affects flooding. Various interventions were proposed including tunnel systems and floodways. However, there are several technological restrictions from the government

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COVID 19 Pandemic Caused the New Normal in Philippine Education

The ill-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have lingered throughout the world rendering all aspects of human existence in turmoil.  It has caused economies to shatter and businesses to close. Moreover, the pandemic has overwhelmed health systems. A lot of other distressing events pervaded life everywhere. 

Education, one of the most significant parts of man’s hierarchy of needs, is likewise in travail.

The advice of medical experts to keep away from face-to-face meetings has prompted the Philippine Government to cancel traditional classroom settings and instead use online teaching.

No one really knows how soon or how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last.  And only Divine Providence can tell when our kids can go back to regular schooling.

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Asian Moments Episode 2: The Informal Economy in the Philippines

In an era of pandemic, the difficulty strikes the hardest among those who belong in the informal economy. In the Philippines, people in the informal sector know that surviving means doing everything that is necessary.

A year after the events of COVID-19 jolted the lives of Filipinos, let’s take a look at what methods people from the informal economy have tried just to cope up.

The Asian Moments series of KLIPP.tv features various themes in line with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The second episode features the lives of people that belong to the informal economy.

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Asian Moments Episode 1: Discipline; the Missing Link

While everyone in the health sector is scrambling for a hasty remedy against the Covid 19 pandemic, to include influencing the way people move and think, numerous protocols have been put in place, not to mention the specific health ordinances enacted by local governments in the Philippines.

One aspect is missing in the link between these protocols and ordinances.  Discipline. This has been neglected and relegated to the background by both the people and many government officials.

When discipline takes its rightful place in the fight against COVID-19, a huge void might be filled up in our quest for a much-needed relief.

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Bataan Personnel Attend Training for JCPJMH Flood Protection

DINALUPIHAN, Bataan–After years of suffering from floods during the rainy season, the Jose C. Payumo Jr. Memorial Hospital (JCPJMH) in this municipality will finally get relief.

To accomplish this, some major work items must have to be complete, i.e. the formal commissioning of the project, and the training of personnel who will be responsible for the deployment and maintenance of the flood protection system.

Thereupon, on July 26, 2021, engineers from Flood Control Asia RS Corp. sealed the project by conducting the turnover ceremony. Following this activity was the commissioning of the flood protection system and the training of 27 disaster first responders coming from the Provincial Government of Bataan, Municipality of Dinalupihan, and personnel of JCPJMH.

Engr. Jonathan Tato, RS Project Manager, delivered an intensive classroom-type lecture on flood protection and preparedness and the proper installation and deployment of the new flood protection barriers.

This was followed by a ‘hands-on’ session at the hospital where the participants got the chance to personally deploy the barriers. Everything was witnessed by Mayor Gila Garcia of Dinalupihan who also tried her hand on the flood protection system. Mayor Garcia was also the guest speaker during the opening program.

Itong training po is a very good practive. Kasi, hindi lang yung naka-install na, pero yung care and kung paano po efficient na magagamit, paano din po timely ma magamit po siya… very practical po itong [training] and commissioning po natin ng newly installed flood gates po dito sa hospital.

Mayor Angela “Gila” Garcia after she witnessed the installation of German-engineered flood solutions

The activity was capped by a closing program where Certificates of Completion were presented to the training participants. 

Engr. Enrico T. Yuzon, Bataan’s Provincial Engineer was the guest speaker during the closing program.

Isang benefit sa mga nag-training ay ‘yung responding time. So, magkakaroon na sila ng technical know-how kung kailan darating ang bagyo, umuulan pa lang they need to prepare. At just on time na bago pa lang dumating yung tubig, nakapag set-up na sila.

Engr. Enrico Yuzon during an interview during the training and commissioning at the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) in Dinalupihan, Philippines

Meanwhile, some of the participants expressed their elation and appreciation for the additional skills they have learned from RS and felt gratified for the safety of the medical staff and patients of JCPJMH.

Since wala kaming engineering background, at first I thought medyo complicated. Madali siyang intindihin (installation), kasi simplified lang siya. Bukod sa pagiging simplified din, people are approachable. So, I guess this must be available in every government institution na pwedeng bahain anytime.

Ace Sangalang, a participant from the training & commissioning, and a JCPJMH nurse

The JCPJMH flood protection system is now ready for deployment when the need arises.

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