GSP EVENTS

Upcoming Events

May 6, 2024 | MANILA ELKS CLUB, 7F CORINTHIAN PLAZA BUILDING, 121 PASEO DE ROXAS LEGAZPI VILLAGE MAKATI CITY

Please join us in the upcoming PMEA Membership Meeting on Monday, May 6, 2024 at the MANILA ELKS CLUB, 7F CORINTHIAN PLAZA BUILDING, 121 PASEO DE ROXAS LEGAZPI VILLAGE MAKATI CITY, 5:30 PM registration for 6:00 PM Start. Registrations Fees are as follows: Member : 200.00; Non-Member/ Guest : 500.00.

Previous Events

September 18, 2020 | Online

“Our collective vision for Manila Bay: From cleaning to healing across ecosystems”

The Geological Society of the Philippines, in addressing its goals to provide a platform to discuss hot topics and current issues, organized a virtual forum to discuss what is going on in Manila Bay. There were 1,010 participants who joined the online forum held on Sept. 18, 2020 via Zoom, the NRCP Research Pod Facebook livestream and the Xperto platform. Posts on Facebook were shared 272 times and reached more than 17,000 people. The forum was co-organized with the University of the Philippines Los Baños – School of Environmental Science and Management (UPLB-SESAM), and the DOST – National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP).

Dr. Carla Dimalanta, President of the Geological Society of the Philippines started the forum with her opening remarks. She stressed that the online forum was organized so as to help the general public understand how the government is planning to move towards improving Manila Bay and how the initiatives might have been better handled. Rather than just focusing on the beach enrichment, the forum hopes to provide a platform for engaging discussions in the context of environmental management through a whole of system approach.

The rationale for the forum was explained further by Dr. Edanjarlo Marquez, Chair of the NRCP Division on Earth and Space Sciences.

Invited to share their views on the matter were experts from DENR and the academe.

Dr. Rex Victor Cruz, of the College of Forestry and Natural Resources, former Chancellor of UPLB and member of the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan (MBSDMP) team contracted by NEDA, provided an overview of the MBSDMP framework. He emphasized the science-based planning anchored on providing an enabling environment, institutionalization of the framework and stakeholder engagement. He enumerated the measures by which the Master Plan can be considered as a success or failure. These include reduction of pollution load, improvement of solid waste management, reduction of exposure to flooding, restoration of natural habitats, boosting of fish biomass, production of responsible and sustainable tourism and setting up of an enabling environment. Dr. Cruz also briefly touched on the suggested possible institutional set ups of the rehabilitation of the Manila Bay.

Atty. Jonas Leones, Undersecretary for Environment and International Affairs of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, gave updates on the national government’s rehabilitation efforts of the Manila Bay. He explained that the Supreme Court Mandamus requires the national government to make the Bay suitable for swimming and contact recreational activities. Because of this, various government interventions have been put in place foremost of which is the conduct of regular monitoring of the water quality around the bay along with various geo-engineering measures. The geo-engineering interventions include the installation of trash booms, setting up of silt curtains during dredging work, beach nourishment, dredging and desilting of the bay and esteros, and installation of sewage treatment plants around the bay. Beach nourishment is only one small aspect of the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.

Dr. Karlo Queaño, Assistant Professor at the Ateneo de Manila University explained the physical characteristics of Manila Bay, particularly on how sediments may be transported around the bay, how those need to be considered when planning for developments around the bay, and how accelerated sea level rise could influence coastal erosion. Therefore, the importance of considering these in the maintenance/development planning around the bay cannot be underestimated. These considerations are particularly important if there is a plan to conduct regular beach enrichment activities. He also stressed that appropriate adaptation strategies must be considered in the context of the physical characteristics of the Bay, climate change and accelerated sea level rise.

Dr. Jonathan Dungca, Professor of Civil Engineering at De La Salle University, discussed the importance of considering liquefaction in designing engineering interventions. This is particularly important for the Manila Bay area considering that earthquakes of Magnitude 5 could already be a concern for backfilled materials such as those being used in the replenishment of Manila Bay. He stressed that there is always an engineering solution to any development activity. But for Manila Bay, liquefaction must be one of the most important considerations in coming up with the appropriate engineering interventions.

Dr. Stella Tirol, Dean of the College of Development Communication of UP Los Baños explained why the issue of the dolomite has become a very big emotional issue. She said that news of the “dolomite beach enrichment” was ill-time as we are currently dealing with a health crisis. There is also anxiety among the general public about what the rehabilitation can cause. Among the national government’s weaknesses in handling the dolomite issue is the lack of providing the general public with the big picture – people do not know how the white sand figures into the government’s bigger rehabilitation efforts. There are unharmonized mouth pieces where representatives of government offices provide contradicting statements and further aggravated when previously issued statements are retracted or reversed. She suggested that the government should look closely into a communication plan or package so that the government’s plans are clearly expressed and communicated.

In closing the forum, Dr. Decibel Faustino-Eslava, Dean of the UPLB-SESAM, stated that this online forum covered only a few aspects of the whole issue. It is hoped that it will further spark interest for more discussions, not only on the Manila Bay rehabilitation, but also on other very pressing matters that impact our long-term aspirations for a healthy and sustainable country.

The webinar recording is available via this link: https://www.facebook.com/nrcpresearchpod/videos/349903006129115

July 22, 2020 | Online

Webinar of Usec Wimpy Fuentebella (Department of Energy)

The GSP hosted its 7th webinar on July 22, 2020. Felix William ‘Wimpy’ B. Fuentebella, Spokesperson and Undersecretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) gave a talk on " The Now and Future of the Philippine Energy Sector."

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Energy (DOE) ensured that energy resources are available to the public and that the delivery of their services as ‘backliners’ did not stop. The priorities of DOE are: to ensure least cost power for consumers; provide accessible, affordable and secure power supply; and protect the environment while addressing climate change concerns.

Usec Fuentebella also reported that the domestic oil situation is stable for the coming months and years. However, DOE is still closely monitoring oil supply and promoting local sources of energy. He also emphasized the importance of the development of renewable energy and green energy to reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources.

Here is the link to the video recording of the webinar: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1192257021158625

July 9, 2020 | Online

Webinar of Mariton Bornas (PHIVOLCS-DOST)

The GSP hosted its 6th webinar on July 9, 2020. Ma. Antonia V. Bornas, Chief Science Research Specialist of Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division of PHIVOLCS-DOST gave a talk on "Volcano Monitoring in the Philippines in the last Decade."

Various monitoring systems operated by PHIVOLCS on the most active volcanoes in the country such as Mayon and Taal ensure that we are up to date with any signs of volcanic activity.

Below is the link to the video recording of the webinar:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=324097058607950

This recording is strictly for academic purposes only. No portion of the presentation slides or the recording may be captured or reproduced without the explicit consent of PHIVOLCS. Thank you very much.

June 25, 2020 | Online

Webinar of Jenny Barretto (GNS Science, New Zealand)

The GSP hosted its 5th webinar on June 25, 2020. Jenny Barretto, a Geologist/Geophysicist from GNS Science, New Zealand gave a talk on "Apolaki Caldera: Morphology, Structure and Implications for the Formation and Potential Resources of the Philippine Rise."

Using NAMRIA’S multibeam bathymetry grid, seismic reflection, gravity and magnetic data as well as published data on rock compositions and ages, they discovered the volcanic caldera as the most prominent feature of the Benham Rise in the West Philippine Basin.

Below is the link to the video recording of the webinar: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4179307505443076

June 15, 2020 | Online

Financial Literacy Webinar (Regan Financial Agency Philamlife)

The GSP hosted a webinar on financial literacy on June 15, 2020 with speakers from the Regan Financial Agency Philamlife. Dr. Victor Maglambayan, a GSP Trustee, retired geologist and currently a Financial Advisor, talked about “Financial Goal-setting in the Covid-19 Era."

Mr. Reynold Gan, Agency Manager and member of the Million Dollar Roundtable, gave his talk on "Financial Lessons from the Pandemic." Lastly, Ms. Edna Gan, Agency Manager and also a geologist, discussed "Protection Products for these Times and Beyond.” Below is the link to the video recording: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1467330233446688

If you are interested to know more about financial literacy and protection products, please contact Dr. Victor Maglambayan (09285064869), Katrina Abrasaldo (09178333347) and Genesis Cellona (09286569157).